Spare a rose, save a child

Buying a dozen roses is a traditional way many people say "I love you" for Valentine's Day. But what if that token of affection also meant saving the life of a child with diabetes?

For the first time this year, it does! All you have to do is be a part of a new grassroots effort called "Spare a Rose, Save a Child."

A small group of our friends in the Diabetes Online Community (DOC) came up with an idea to use social media for a bigger "social good" and help make a difference, and it's caught on like wildfire not only in the DOC but also across broader health communities.

The idea is simple: instead of buying the typical "dozen roses" that's so popular on Valentine's Day, you buy 11 (which is still romantic, we promise!). Then, you donate the value of that single extra flower to help a child with diabetes in the developing world. Your loved one still gets flowers, and you both show some love to someone who needs it.

Seriously, it's THAT easy!

Of course, there's nothing that says you can't donate more than just the cost of a rose! That's just a starting point.

What's the value of a rose, by the way? Well, it varies depending on where you live and the type of store you're buying from, and it costs a little more right now due to V-Day inflation, but generally it costs anywhere from $2-$7.

Your donation goes to the International Diabetes Federation's Life For A Child program, which processes contributions and sends them to established diabetes centers for ongoing clinical care and diabetes education these children need to stay alive.

http://www.idf.org/lifeforachild/donate

The cost of a single rose is more than enough to make a difference, IDF reports. Just $1 a day provides a child with:

regular insulin
quality blood glucose monitoring equipment (meter, strips, lancets)
essential clinical care
up-to-date diabetes education materials
specialized diabetes training for medical staff

On Twitter, the hashtag for this effort is #sparearose.

The American Diabetes Association is doing a flower-related effort of its own for Valentine's Day, using TrialPay as a way for flower-buyers to donate $18 of the total purchase price to the ADA.

http://diabetesadvocates.org/spare-a-rose-save-a-child/