Makers of the popular American Girl dolls made big headlines in late December when they declared that among the doll's accessory kits would constitute a new diabetes supply kit — helping little girls with diabetes feel more mainstream. This is a huge win for Diabetes Community advocacy, in uncommon for a 13-year-old Wisconsin girl with T1D who's been political campaign for this to happen for the past cardinal years.

Back in August 2015, we interviewed D-peep Anja Busse and her mom Ingrid, World Health Organization made a touching video request the American Miss doll company to include a diabetes kit. That LED to an online petition signed past thousands of supporters. Anja and her mom Ingrid are also the Astonishing Advocates behind the alleged Boxes of Joyfulness, a program that sends out goodie baskets to families with a newly diagnosed child to bring a piddling felicity to the experience.

As a result of their efforts, the North American country Young woman doll fellowship, a Wisconsin-based wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel, recently introduced a new Diabetes Wish Kit made particularly for their 18-inch Truly Me dolls.

This new kid includes:

  • Blood glucose varan and lancing device
  • Insulin pump that can represent clipped to a dame's waistband, plus an adhesive to attach the infusion set
  • Insulin pen, for dolls not using the pump
  • Medical alert ID bracelet
  • Glucose tablets
  • Diabetes information log Bible
  • A especial case for the supplies, plus an ID card
  • Stickers to summate personalization

Pretty authentic! The kits are now acquirable in stores and online for $24.

The argue this is so big is that American Girl dolls have got been wildly popular since their introduction in 1986 — arrival the status of a cultural icon. More than 27 million dolls and 151 million American Girl books have been sold-out up to now, and the American Girl catalog ranks American Samoa the largest consumer toy catalog and ace of the top 30 consumer catalogues in the country, according to the company's records.

I can severalize you myself as a mother of three daughters that what an American Girl doll wears, does and says resonates with little girls. Indeed wow — if she has diabetes, it can't be all that strange operating room bad! Right?

Fortunately the company is proverbial for representing diversity, and has been very active about offering accessory kits that represent health challenges, including wheelchairs, hearing aids, dolls with no hair, and even build up crutches, introduced on Jan. 1.

American Girl spokeswoman Stephanie Spanos tells us: "American Girl has a long history of creating items that speak to diversity and inclusion body, and the diabetic care outfit is yet another way we are expanding in that important area. From the start of the companionship in 1986, our destination has been to make over dolls, stories, and products that act as both mirrors and windows — freehanded girls an chance to find out a bluff reflection of themselves or a happen to learn about a life that may be very diametric from their own."

She says the society's product development team worked with the local University of Wisconsin Children's Hospital to ensure the diabetes kit was accurate and reflective of the real items children demand to manage their diabetes.

"We deeply treasure the enthusiasm and trust our fans have in us to create a particular product, and we continue to receive hundreds of passionate requests for specific dolls, stories, or accessories to be created… Girls like Anja Busse inspire us daily, and we aspect forward to creating newfangled products, stories, and experiences that celebrate the countless unique qualities in all of them," Spanos says.

Since the news collide with, these kits experience been mobile off the American Girl shelves and pictures have been pop up all terminated the Doctor (Diabetes Online Community) of people proudly showing off their newly-bought kits. Some have even offered intersection giveaways for this.

Just like most things in the diabetes world, this development didn't come without some take issue and drama. Feathers were seriously ruffled when celebrity fitness trainer Vinnie Tortorich publicly questioned why the skirt party would "support" diabetes instead of offer employment aids for their dolls like bikes and jump ropes. His implication was that American Chick was condoning type 2 diabetes in children.

Yep, as so often happens whenever "diabetes" is mentioned in the media, confusion and misconceptions buy the story.

Fortunately, in this guinea pig, Tortorich immediately apologized and has offered to help advocate for clarity on type 1 diabetes. And Rachael Moshman, the freelance writer who penned the original clause quoting Tortorich, has written an awesome web log post, also apologizing and setting the record straight. It's titled "An Apology/Have it off Letter to the Type 1 Diabetes Residential district for Such a Sucky Article," and she's even giving away few of these new kits herself. Assassinator Rachael!

Meanwhile, Anja Busse and her mom are over the moon around this American Girl kit out. They updated the petition declaring Triumph!, and many media outlets (see present and here) are writing about this and featuring the Busse's advocacy story.

We were excited finally summertime babble out with Anja and her mom Ingrid, and today we're revisiting part of that interview in the context of this latest news program, with added updated questions on the victory at hand:

DM) Ingrid, can you start by effective us about Anja's diagnosis?

IB) Our daughter Anja is now 13 years old, and was diagnosed happening Oct. 8, 2013. Anja has trinity younger brothers and no more indefinite in our immediate sept had type 1, so at the time of her diagnosis she was the only one in the family. But Anja's second cousin conscionable got diagnosed with it this yr.

We went to a marriage in Colorado for a week in 2013. Altogether week long Anja was whining that her stomach hurt, sledding to the bathroom very much, drinking a lot (we didn't think anything of that since we were in the mountains and everyone was drinking a lot), and was really cranky. By the end of the week, she had lost over 20 pounds. When we got back home we took her to the doctor, where they aforesaid she had sugar in her urine and that we needed to go the hospital right away. She was admitted into the infirmary with a blood sugar level of 900.

What motivated her/your family to start the American Bird accessory push?

It each began with the petition my daughter started. Since American Girl already had similar products like earshot acquired immune deficiency syndrome, service dogs, wheelchairs, spectacles, braces, and a nutrient allergy set with an allergy dig, Anja thought diabetic accessories would consort gravid with the AG brand. She didn't want a uncommon doll… just the accessories like a blood glucose meter, glucagon, and an insulin shot.

Here's Anja's video asking American Girl to make up these inexperient D-friendly accessories, and Thomas More than 4,000 people are supportive the idea!

Did you reach out initially and get a line anything from American Girl happening this?

We deliver reached out, and even offered to purchase large quantities (of the new accessories) to come in our boxes and donate to hospitals so that newly diagnosed children had something to take home that they could function with their favorite doll/stuffed animal. One newspaper publisher reporter did get in contact with American Girl and got a civil, 'we don't suffice that' response.

(As of Oct 2015) Are you still pushing American Doll along the diabetes accessories?

We rich person non given au courant our petition. We wanted to present American Girl that people in truth want to buy this product. We think over IT is an item even boys can use with their stuffed animals.

When and if these products become available, we project on including them in as many of our Boxes of Joy as we rear end so that T1D kids can have a dame or full animal that is going through the same thing every bit them, and feel that they are not alone. We want American Little girl to hear the same voices we hear so they get it on there are some who want this ware and are willing to buy it.

We wealthy person also been fortunate to have the chemical group MJ2 (one of their singers, Molly Singer, is a character 1) give us permission to exercise their song "It's Possible" along the TV.

Congrats along this American Fill victory! Anything you'd like to say specifically to the D-Community on this?

Anja: I am actually excited!!! I think this is going to help diabetic kids like me cope with this disease and make them not feel alone.

All time individual sends us a picture I get teary-eyed. People are buying these kits not only for girls with diabetes, only also for kids who have a loved one with diabetes, hospitals, diabetes clinics, and even boys with T1D. We are working as we speak to get donations so that we rump give these kits to newly diagnosed kids in hospitals. My mama says (that when I got diagnosed) I just got sent dwelling with a stack of books and handouts, but I would have loved to have received this when firstborn diagnosed. This so would have helped!

Ingrid: A few weeks ago, Anja was reputable with the Wisconsin Heroes Award for work with Boxes of Joy and the JDRF Ride to Bring around Diabetes. The governor's wife Tonette Walker, who is also a type 1 diabetic, flew in to surprise her with the laurels.

Our 100-mile bike cod went great. Anja did amazing and made it 85 miles in 97-degree heat. It was a miracle considering that previously, the longest ride she had done was 27 miles, with lots of fillet. She didn't even have a single Devalued.

You power say it's the understatement of all time, to say I'm a self-important mom. 🙂

Still, Anja may start out some credit, but it's everyone World Health Organization divided up our story, encouraged us, signed the prayer, and contacted the company directly who deserve the bulk of credit. The Diabetes Residential district is awing and I must say very haunting. Several people I know called and wrote the company numerous times. American Girl heard us and delivered an amazing intersection, and I know American English Girl will non Be frustrated with their decision.

Kudos for bringing up your voices to seduce this happen, Anja and Ingrid! We echo your excitement about this new American Girl diabetes kit. What a true inspiration for so many, with diabetes and beyond!