Day 47: Diabetes Sunday

DIABETES SUNDAY promotes awareness and education, and informs the public of the causes and dangers of diabetes. The African American Program of the American Diabetes Association began a program in 1996 and called it "Diabetes Sunday." The pastor or someone else briefly talked about the disease during the worship service and information was handed out about risk factors. A coalition joined with clergy to reach African Americans with important health information.

The African American Program’s goal is to increase awareness about the seriousness of diabetes in the community and importance of early diagnosis and treatment. This program was developed to provide churches with a foundation that would assist them with spreading the news to the almost 3 million African Americans who currently have diabetes or at risk for diabetes. In honor of Diabetes Awareness Month, the local chapter of the American Diabetes Association is partnering with local churches to educate all about Diabetes. "Diabetes Sunday" is usually held the first or second Sunday in February. Pastors and or church leaders will take time to make an announcement from the pulpit about Diabetes.

Public Health Problem

Diabetes is a serious problem for African Americans

·       They have higher rates of this disease and three of its major complications: blindness, amputation and kidney failure.

·       About one third of African Americans with this disease are not aware they have it and are therefore not getting recommended care.

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions among Native Americans.

·       Complications from diabetes are major causes of death and health problems in most Native American populations.

·       Prevalence of type 2 diabetes among Native Americans in the United States is 12.2% for those over 19 years of age. One tribe in Arizona has the highest rate of diabetes in the world. About 50% of the tribe between the ages of 30 and 64 have diabetes.

·       Of equal concern is the fact that type 2, or adult-onset diabetes, is increasingly being discovered in Native American youth.

Diabetes Rapidly Increasing Among Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

·       In Hawaii, Native Hawaiians have more than twice the rate of diabetes as Whites.

·       Asians are 20% less likely than non-Hispanic whites to die from diabetes.

·       In Hawaii, Native Hawaiians are 5.7 times as likely as Whites living in Hawaii to die from diabetes.

·       Filipinos living in Hawaii have more than 3 times the death rate as Whites living in Hawaii.

Facts about Diabetes

·       Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy.

·       Both genetics and environmental factors, such as obesity and lack of exercise, play a role in diabetes.

·       Symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst and urination, dizziness, blurred vision and feeling tired.

·       Nearly 21 million children and adults in the United States, or 7 percent of the population, have diabetes. Most have Type 2 diabetes, which tends to occur later in life.

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Davis established The Children’s Diabetes Foundation at Denver in 1977 in Denver, Colorado as a non-profit organization dedicated solely to the support of research in childhood diabetes and to provide the best possible clinical and educational programs for children with this disease. The Foundation's mission is to raise funds to support programs at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes where more than 5,000 children and young adults from all over America currently receive care. In educating the public, the Education & Public Awareness Committee promotes public awareness of the symptoms of diabetes and to provide schools with information about diabetes care.

Donation: $5

To support The Children's Diabetes Foundation at Denver, please visit: http://www.childrensdiabetesfoundation.org/