Talking Amongst Tip4type1's Tonya Homme

Originally, I was going to set out the interview alongside Tonya Homme, founder of Tips4Type 1 when I returned domicile from my Canadian vacation. But hence my mom went inward the infirmary the hateful solar daytime after nosotros came home, in addition to nosotros all know what happened. I'm publishing it forthwith for all types of reasons, but primarily because I mean value that piece Nov is Diabetes Awareness Month & World Diabetes Day is Nov 14th, icon your nails for diabetes awareness AND funding for a diabetes cure is something nosotros tin do 365 days a yr

FYI: I'm mean value Tips4Type1 would brand first-class stocking stuffers & Hanukkah gifts :)

Tips4Type1 Blue & Silver Nail Polish

1. Tell me the argue why you lot started tips4type1 - And experience gratis to acquire into equally much exceptional equally you'd like, Tonya! I desire my readers to acquire existent feel of who you lot are!!!

I'm Tonya Homme (rhymes alongside Mommy) in addition to I am the proud mommy of Charlotte, our smart in addition to funny picayune creative individual who volition plough five this Oct 31st (yep, our picayune Halloweener - form of ironic for a kid alongside Type 1 to live born on the biggest candyfest of them all, huh? ;) My married adult man Todd in addition to I experience hence lucky in addition to hence blessed to own got her inward our lives. We live inward Woodland Hills, CA (Los Angeles) alongside our ii cats, Breezy in addition to Oscar, in addition to our beagle named Kevin.

Charlotte was diagnosed alongside Type 1 diabetes on Oct 6, 2008, when she was simply 23-months-old. Like all parents of a newly-diagnosed child, nosotros were inward consummate jar in addition to stumbled though life inward a jar for quite around fourth dimension afterwards. Her diagnosis was an 2d life changer for all of us. Before her diagnosis, I had been pedagogy high schoolhouse Castilian (¡Sí, hablo español!), in addition to although I loved my job, I quit that hateful solar daytime to assume my novel component subdivision equally Charlotte's full-time substitute pancreas.

Ever since the hateful solar daytime Charlotte was diagnosed, my thoughts own got been consumed past times Type 1 diabetes.

At first, I studied similar crazy to acquire everything I needed to know to maintain her live in addition to healthy.

Then, I began to pass hours online, researching anything in addition to everything I could notice out nigh the affliction in addition to whatever inquiry existence done.

Then, I became consumed alongside figuring out what I could do – to assist fund research, in addition to to assist notice a CURE for our immature lady in addition to our many friends who live in addition to combat alongside Type 1 diabetes, 24 hours a day, vii days a week.

The thought for my Tips4Type1 nail polish fundraiser came to me concluding Oct when I saw an bring upward inward a journal for around pinkish nail polish.

At the bottom of the ad, it said, “A portion of this sale volition live donated to back upward such-and-such research.” And I thought, "Why can’t someone do the same affair to enhance coin for diabetes research??"

I contacted a few nail polish companies, in addition to they asked if I represented a diabetes foundation or corporation. I replied, "No, but I correspond a kid alongside Type 1 diabetes!" I was really politely informed that their companies do non bargain alongside 'individuals' such equally myself. But, equally the parent of a kid alongside Type 1, I know that in that location aren't many 'individuals' to a greater extent than determined to assist notice a CURE than nosotros are! So, I decided that the ‘someone’ who needed to do something alongside this thought was ME !!

And I got to work... First, I chose the name: Tips (as inward fingertips) four (for) Type 1 (as inward Type 1 diabetes) = Tips4Type1! I loved the 'word-number-word-number' thing. (What tin I say? I'm a scrap of a nerd. ;)

I decided to brand the polish inward the ii colors most-associated alongside Diabetes Awareness: SILVER, the color of the diabetes awareness ribbon, in addition to BLUE, the color of the diabetes awareness circle, equally good equally the predominant color of many diabetes-related logos in addition to events. I named the colors ‘TIPS OF STEEL’ - inward abide by of those precious Type 1 fingertips that are hence potent in addition to deserve all the TLC they tin acquire after all the pokes they endure, in addition to ‘TRUE BLUE HOPE’ - because I genuinely own got HOPE that a CURE volition live found. I'm donating $10 of each sale to the Diabetes Research Institute.

WHY I started Tips4Type1?

It's my promise that this projection volition non solely enhance coin for diabetes research, but also that past times wearing these colors, nosotros tin start conversations that volition assist educate others in addition to raise around much-needed awareness.

Before Charlotte’s diagnosis, I'll live the commencement to acknowledge that I didn’t know much nigh Type 1 diabetes either. We own got a really practiced friend whose 9-yr-old boy was diagnosed a few years earlier Charlotte, in addition to I am positive that at around point, I asked our friend the enquiry that forthwith makes me cringe inside; "Will he ever outgrow it?" As hard equally it is sometimes, when I am asked this in addition to the other 'typical' questions, I endeavor to remind myself that I was i time i of those who didn't "get it" - until Charlotte "got it."

I'm a instructor at see in addition to I'm ever inward 'educate others' mode, inward add-on to existence able to purchase the polish on my spider web site, www.Tips4Type1.com, I own got also included a ‘Myths/Truths’ page in addition to a ‘Symptoms’ page. I am proud of the 'Myths/Truths' page & tried really hard to come upward up alongside the most concise, easy-to-understand listing to explicate what Type 1 diabetes IS in addition to also what it is NOT. I included a 'Symptoms' page because the commencement enquiry most people commonly inquire is, "How did you lot know?"

2. How long did it own got to acquire from inception phase to manufacturing/ production & Sales stage?

About five months. Once I discovered that large nail polish companies weren't interested inward working alongside me, I started doing around inquiry online. I industrial plant life in addition to contacted a few companies that industry custom label nail polish in addition to asked if they would transportation me around samples. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 friend of mine who is a graphic creative individual designed the logo for the bottles, in addition to i time that was finished, I took a boundary of organized faith in addition to placed my commencement order!

While I waited for my commencement shipment of nail polish to arrive, I created my spider web site; ordered my transportation supplies, applied for a pocket-size occupation organisation permit in addition to filled out all of the necessary forms in addition to paperwork. When I had all my ducks inward a row, I made my large proclamation on facebook, twitter, in addition to I contacted diabetes bloggers such equally yourself. I was hence over-the-moon excited when you lot responded in addition to asked if you lot could interview me nigh my project! THANK YOU!! It is hence overnice of you lot in addition to I cannot tell you lot how much I appreciate it. :)

3. Who manufactures the blast polish?

Tips4Type1 polish is made past times Innovative Color Labs, a custom nail polish manufacturer located inward New York.

4. How's the reply been hence far?

I'm thrilled alongside the reply hence far in addition to promise my sales volition travel along to grow. News of the projection seems to live spreading through word-of-mouth, in addition to it makes me hence happy. I would similar nada to a greater extent than than to mitt over a big, whopping depository fiscal establishment gibe for inquiry to the DRI every year.

I was contacted past times a Diabetes Advocacy grouping from Canada, in addition to own got allow them know that I would live happy to transportation them all the data needed to start a 'Tips4Type1-Canada' project, if they're interested. I'd beloved to come across that happen! The projection is also existence promoted from within the DRI, for which I am hence thankful. There is a possibility that my projection mightiness live featured inward the "Gift Giving Guide" of a major diabetes journal earlier the holidays. That would live hence awesome!

I am also hopeful that I volition own got a lot of sales equally people fix for National Diabetes Awareness Month inward Nov in addition to World Diabetes Day on Nov 14th. Even earlier I started this project, I own got ever had my toenails painted blue throughout the calendar month of November. (Now, I own got them year-round! ;) One of my facebook friends commented that it would live non bad if fans of sports teams whose colors are blue in addition to silvery (Dallas Cowboys) would purchase my polish, too. Isn't that a non bad idea?! How cool would it live if the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in addition to all their fans wore colors to back upward their team, but also promote our drive in addition to assist our loved ones at the same time?? It would live absolutely fantastic! Ideas similar that acquire me hence excited.

I own got been hence touched past times the back upward of others; sharing my page on facebook, forwarding my spider web site to their friends, retweets on twitter (I'm @T1Mommy), existence allowed to write a invitee post service nigh my projection on the Diabetes Daily spider web site (thank you lot David Edelman!), equally good equally existence shared past times wonderful bloggers such equally yourself. I am beside myself alongside gratitude. :)

5. Do you lot come across your t4t1 trace expanding?

Just concluding week, Tom Karlya, VP of the DRI, in addition to I were brainstorming this idea. He said, "Wouldn't it live non bad if you lot could expand this thought into Tips4Type1 sales force, (á la Mary Kay or Avon) alongside people selling it all over the place?" I mean value it's an AMAZING idea, in addition to I would beloved to come across something similar that occur someday. If anyone is interested, delight allow me know. :)

6. Any endangerment we'll come across t4t1 inward stores?? Seriously, I would LOVE to come across Tip4Type1 sold inward stores!

I desire to sell tons of it to spread awareness, to enhance coin for inquiry that would assist atomic number 82 to a CURE for everyone. That's my dream, in addition to I'll never halt dreaming until the CURE is found. Until then, I programme to do everything I can, inward my ain picayune way, to acquire us there.