Diabetes group asks, Hey Mississippi lawmaker, can you spare $10?
Silver linings continue to pop up in the storm created by Ocean Springs Rep. Jeffrey Guice. Guice, responding to the mother of a child with Type 1 diabetes, messaged her wondering why she didn’t spend the money she earned on her daughter’s medical supplies.
The story has gone more than viral, it’s been a pandemic of bad coverage for the Coast Republican. It’s also put a spotlight on the high cost of caring for kids with diabetes.
Nicole Nichols, the mother, has the attention of Medicaid, which was her original intent. And it has a group of people dealing with diabetes all around Mississippi that came together to keep the heat on lawmakers. A letter from the group sent by Mark Jones of Clinton, who also is communications director for the city, asks lawmakers to donate $10 from their pay for this week’s extraordinary legislative session to the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi’s Helping Hands Fund.
Here’s the letter. Please read to the bottom, where you find the names of dozens of people affected by diabetes. Hope the lawmakers give a sawbuck or more.
The letter
State Representative Jeffrey Guice (R), Ocean Springs, made headlines for his response to the parent of a child with Type 1 diabetes seeking assistance cutting through the bureaucratic red tape of Medicaid for access to diabetic supplies currently covered by insurance (CHIPS and Medicaid).
The diabetes community was shocked and dismayed at the callous disregard for the plight of many individuals with Type 1 Diabetes by Representative Guice.
As noted thoroughly in recent days, many persons with diabetes and parents of children with diabetes work multiple jobs and forego bill payments in order to pay for the supplies required to keep themselves or their child alive. For persons with Type 1 diabetes, these supplies are not luxuries that make life more comfortable, these supplies are critical to the daily treatment of diabetes to sustain the life of a person with diabetes.
With monthly supplies for diabetes management costing an average of $2,500 (and potentially more), many parents are forced to make serious decisions regarding living arrangements, jobs and food every month. In those times of uncertainty, The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi has become a constant source of peace and support for individuals with diabetes and their families.
Through The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, individuals and families with diabetes have access to essential education, instruction and community support. In addition to the advocacy and educational programs of The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, the DFM provides a timely and lifesaving resource for Mississippians with all forms of diabetes.
The Helping Hands program, managed by The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi provides free emergency assistance with insulin, other diabetes-related medications, and testing supplies to Mississippians in need.
Given the cost of some diabetes medications and supplies, and the number of requests they receive, The Diabetes Foundation of MS may not be able to supply everything requested.
Fully understanding the expense of providing this service, we the undersigned individuals and parent/caregivers of children with diabetes are challenging each legislator in Mississippi to donate at least $10 of their special session pay to support The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi’s Helping Hands Fund. By making donations to this fund, our legislators will be recognizing the daily fight those affected by diabetes wage against this incurable yet treatable auto immune disorder.
Additionally, we are asking every parent of a child in Mississippi to consider making a $10 donation to support the work of The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi.
Donations may be made online at www.msdiabetes.org or by calling (601) 957-7878.
Respectfully submitted:
Mark and Samantha Manning: Kennedy Manning,12, Brandon
Leslie and Brian Martin: Hunter, 4, Baldwyn
Ashley Payne: Travis Payne, 7, Tylertown
Mark and Kelly Jones: Megan Jones, 12, Clinton
Rachel and Blake Campbell: Jayce Campbell, 5, Drew
Wayne and Lauren Shinault: Kristen, 4, Sardis
Kristina and Elioutte Dickinson: Chloe, 8, Vicksburg
William and Valerie Case: Rheagan Case, 15, Florence
Kristen Fowler Sarah, 10, Jackson
Daniel & Angela McAllister: Jameson McAllister, 13, Vicksburg
Scott and Yaya Dearman: Hannah Dearman,16 months, Laurel
Michael and Tisha Self: Rylee Self, 14, Crowder
Richard and Erin Southard: Richie Southard age 3, Vicksburg
Jo Maddox: Shelby Maddox, 11, Magee
Devin Bishop, age 19. Vicksburg
Chelsea Braddock: Cayden Kingsley, 10, Mooreville
Cady Howard: Mason Howard, 7. Greene County
Greg and Angela Vaughan: Andrew Vaughan, 14, Vicksburg
Scott & Ashley Boone: Kinsley Boone, 4, Pearl River County
For Tammy and Joe Miles: Brittany Miles, 17 Starkville
Elizabeth Cisowski, 13, Blue Springs
Linda & Donald Kevin Bishop: Devin Bishop, 19, Vicksburg
Petru and Hollie Marjanovic: Mila, 3, Raymond
Katelyn Armstrong, 29, and Jimmy Armstrong, 62, Jackson
Leslie Junkin: Isabella Junkin 16, Columbus
Kim & Ken Kuhn: Emerson Sandidge, 11, Brandon
Molly Murray, 11, Clinton
Alexia and Spencer Long: Anna-Whitten Long, 4, New Albany
Chris and Denise Warnock: Caleb, 5 Florence
Bubba and Allyson Mize, Trustin age 7, Oxford
Chris and Lila Kelley, Maggie Kelley age 6, Waynesboro
Tracie and Kevin Riggin, Sophie Riggin, age 3, Brandon
Beth & Richard Biedenharn: Gracie, 12, Madison
Randy and Nacole Reid: Lakyn , 6, Purvis
Nathan and Nicole Nichols: Bella, 8, Richland
Shane and Beth McCray: Dylan McCray, 6. Starkville
Royd & Clancy Walker: Grayson, 8 Lena, Ms
Eddie and Elise Deano: Bryce, 11, Long Beach
Shauna & Joe McCall: Justin, 8, Runnelstown
Liz Severin and brother Sonny Severin: Ashley Severin, 11, Ridgeland
This story was originally published June 30, 2016 at 3:58 PM.