Medtronic launches awareness campaign on challenge of living with diabetes
In Puerto Rico, more than 460,000 people live with diabetes, facing the daily challenges that accompany the disease.
As part of World Diabetes Day, Medtronic recently launched the “Blue Balloon Challenge” to raise awareness of the challenges of living with diabetes, symbolized by the metaphor of “living with the condition is like doing everything in your daily life while you and your supporters help keep a blue balloon in the air.”
This year, the campaign highlights the role of caregivers, champions and loved ones who support people with type 1 diabetes — those who help “keep the blue balloon afloat” when doctors and nurses are not around. Medtronic noted that these supporters help make living with diabetes a shared experience, reducing the sense of isolation.
“Living with type 1 diabetes for more than 30 years has taught me that this is not just a medical challenge, but a balancing act because every day is a series of constant decisions and adjustments,” said Isaac Cotto, a social worker and Medtronic ambassador in Puerto Rico for the MiniMed 780G insulin pump system.
“The ‘Blue Balloon Challenge’ campaign gives us a voice to share those challenges that many don’t see about diabetes and an opportunity for them to join our effort. Every time someone participates, we feel less alone in this fight, and together, we succeed in creating a more empathetic and aware world about what it really means to live with diabetes,” he said.
Medtronic’s campaign invites people to join the #BlueBalloonChallenge to help create empathy and visibility about the daily lives of people with diabetes. To participate, people are encouraged to share a video or photo of themselves keeping a blue balloon in the air while performing a daily activity and use the hashtag #BlueBalloonChallenge on social media.
Medtronic is also celebrating the first anniversary of its MiniMed 780G technology, an advanced insulin pump system fully manufactured in Puerto Rico and distributed worldwide.
“Thanks to the innovation produced here in Puerto Rico, today we are transforming the lives of around 3,000 Puerto Ricans and thousands more around the world,” said Manuela Uribe, Medtronic’s commercial manager in Puerto Rico. “The MiniMed 780G is a reflection of local talent and commitment, with its development and manufacturing 100% made on the island,” she added.
