| Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards Highlights November as American Diabetes Month |
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| Regional Archives | |||
| Courtesy | |||
| Thursday, November 19, 2009 | |||
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Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (D-MD) joins with the American Diabetes Association to highlight November as American Diabetes Month. This is an opportunity to raise the public’s awareness of this potentially life-threatening disease, affecting nearly 24 million Americans and more than 316,000 Marylanders.
Americans nationwide are encouraged to attend screenings, learn about ways to reduce the risks of the disease and its complications, and urge greater funding to help reduce, prevent, and cure diabetes. “With approximately 24 million Americans suffering from diabetes, nearly 90,000 of who live in Maryland’s 4th Congressional District, it is time that diabetes is treated as the serious, life-threatening disease that it is,” said Rep. Edwards. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three children will be diagnosed with diabetes if we allow current trends to continue. For minority children the prognosis is even worse, approaching one in two children. The threat of diabetes is real and that is why I am working to highlight November as American Diabetes Month to help raise awareness, increase screenings, and save lives. In addition to increasing awareness, I am proud to cosponsor House Resolution 35, an effort that will increase federal funding for diabetes research.” Furthermore, it is important to note that: The average health care costs for those living with diabetes are more than five times the amount for individuals without the disease; Each year, $174 billion are spent in this country on diabetes and its complications; and Diabetes leads to life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and amputation. For more information on diabetes and community outreach events during American Diabetes Month, please visit: http://www.diabetes.org/community-events/programs/american-diabetes-month/adm-by-state.html
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