November is Diabetes Month

Every November is designated as Diabetes month in an effort to bring attention to the growing epidemic of diabetes in the United States and around the world. In the U.S. there are an estimated 24 million people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This number is growing exponentially for a variety of reasons. At the end of October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that newly diagnosed cases of diabetes in adults had increased 90 percent over the last 10 years. Worldwide, diabetes affects about 246 million people and is expected to increase to 380 million by 2025 according to projections from the International Diabetes Federation.

I share these statistics with you to make an important point. You are not alone in your struggle with diabetes. Many others are fighting, as you are, to live well while they manage all of the tasks that naturally go with type 1 diabetes. We need to encourage one another to be disciplined in self-care and learn all you can about diabetes so that you feel empowered with the knowledge of what you need to do on a daily basis.