How to Raise Awareness for Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious metabolic disorder that affects approximately 300 million adults and children worldwide and for which there is no cure. Since the occurrence of diabetes is on the rise, this number is expected to escalate to more than 380 million by the year 2025. The number of children diagnosed with diabetes has also increased in recent years. Since this disease can lead to serious—even life threatening—complications, it's important to raise awareness for diabetes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Learn How to Raise Awareness for Diabetes

1. Join the World Diabetes Day Resolution campaign to raise awareness and distribute information about the prevention and treatment of diabetes. This initiative raises awareness on a global scale through education and media involvement (see Resources below).

2. Read the entire text of the the United Nations World Diabetes Day Resolution online, which is available in PDF format and in six different languages (see Resources below).

3. Raise awareness about diabetes in your own community by encouraging your school district to participate in the KIDD Project sponsored by the Defeat Diabetes Foundation (see Resources below). This organization provides educational material to more than 5,000 schools in addition to free diabetes screening.

4. Invite Mr. Diabetes to be a guest speaker at your local school or civic committee. Mr. Diabetes (Andy Mandell) has walked nearly 8,000 miles to raise diabetes awareness through his Wake Up and Walk Tour. As Executive Director of Defeat Diabetes Foundation, he may be contacted through the foundation's website.

5. Produce your own diabetes awareness campaign by organizing a walk-a-thon to raise sponsored pledges for diabetes screening and education in your community. There are several partners to which you could turn to with help you in this venture, such as your PTA, Lyon's Club, YMCA or PBA.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are a business owner, artisan or other self-employed merchant or contractor, you might consider letting your customers know that a percentage of your proceeds for services or goods will be donated to a charitable organization that works to promote diabetes awareness, such as the Defeat Diabetes Foundation.
• Consider doing the same if you're an eBay "power seller." In fact, the auction site has a program called eBay Giving Works in place for this purpose.

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