Message From Our Executive Director
By Andrew P. Mandell – MR.DIABETES®
April 2010
April is DEFEAT DIABETES® MONTH
Diabetes is a condition for which there is no cure. Once you’ve got it, that’s it.* So, your best protection against this nasty, insidious “disease” is prevention. And, this is something that we know, absolutely, how to do 95% of the time in Type 2 diabetes. Here is a brief overview of what we’re dealing with when talking about diabetes:
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In the United States there are 24 million people with diabetes (8 million don’t know it).
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There are another 57 million people who are “pre-diabetic” and are at extremely high risk for developing it unless they take steps, immediately, to prevent it.
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Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% of the total diabetic population – this is preventable up to 95%!!
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Diabetics are at high risk for blindness, amputations, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, shortened life span by 10-15 years, and more.
For complete information on the risk factors, warning signs and complications go to your one-stop diabetes resource center:
www.DefeatDiabetes.org
In response to this epidemic, Defeat Diabetes Foundation has launched a meaningful ALERT! to the American people and people worldwide. It is an annual ALERT! which carries on for the entire month of April. This means that every April, from now on, will be known as DEFEAT DIABETES® MONTH. We have prepared a number of awareness points and activities you can, and should, incorporate into your daily lives. No matter your level of diabetes, age and/or gender you will find all content appropriate to improve your lives. If you are not diabetic, you will find valuable information to help you prevent ever developing diabetes.
It is our intent to introduce these life enhancements to you, which you will incorporate into your daily lives, year round.
Good Health.
Andrew P. Mandell – MR. DIABETES®
Executive Director
AWARENESS + ACTION = PREVENTION®
*[NOTE: There is one exception to this, however, and that’s “gestational diabetes”. This refers to a small percentage (approximately 10%) of women who develop diabetes during pregnancy. After delivery, about 50% of them revert back to a “non-diabetic” condition. But, that is not the whole story; they remain at very high risk for developing diabetes in the future and their children are also at extremely high risk. In effect, they MUST live as if they have diabetes.]
