Striving To Find A Diabetes Cure

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Wednesday - November 10, 2010 Share

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By Mia Noguchi, Marketing and Communications Chairwoman
American Diabetes Association

Currently about 24 million Americans, or one in 10 U.S. citizens, are estimated to have diabetes. Here in Hawaii, more than 113,000 people have diabetes, of which 28,000 remain undiagnosed.

Now the media is reporting that the number of people with diabetes will jump to one in three in the next 40 years. That’s even scarier, because you would think that with all we know today about health in general and current technologies, we would have a way to stop diabetes.

Yet a cure continues to elude us.

Diabetes is the fifth-leading cause of death. You’re probably wondering why that figure is such a big deal. Besides the number being huge, it gets bigger every day!

I’m sure to many diabetes seems intangible and not as threatening as other diseases because it isn’t something that gives one an immediate sense of doom, like cancer or AIDS, and people seem to live with diabetes every day through managed care.

But did you know that diabetes kills more people than breast cancer and AIDS combined? It also doubles the risk of heart attacks, strokes and liver, pancreas and endometrial cancers.

By sharing these facts, I don’t mean to alarm, but rather to make the point that finding a cure could benefit so many.

This is what the American Diabetes Association has been striving for since 1940. Founded by physicians, ADA was formed to improve the lives of all people affected by the disease via preventative methods and finding a cure.

We are lucky to have the Hawaii chapter working diligently in our own community to provide resources, create awareness and raise money. But let’s not wait another 40 years to actively support the organization’s push for finding a cure.

November is American Diabetes Month, and I encourage you to take just five minutes to find out more about the local organization and this disease that affects so many. Visit us at stopdiabetes.com, diabetes.org or call 947-5979.

Hawaii charitable organizations may send requests for space in either Proof Positive or the free advertisement below to dchapman@midweek.com.