During American Diabetes Month this November, the American Diabetes Association is asking the community to submit a personal image to the association’s Facebook mosaic representing what a day in the life of diabetes means to them to showcase the extraordinary effort it takes to live a day with diabetes.
Southwest Washington residents can post images of themselves or someone they care about, or otherwise represent how the disease impacts their lives. The image will then make up a larger mosaic image that will embody the message of A Day in the Life of Diabetes.
NASCAR driver Ryan Reed will showcase the mosaic in the NASCAR series by wrapping his car with photos from the mosaic during his Nov. 9 race in Phoenix.
Recent estimates project that as many as one in three American adults will have diabetes in 2050, and an additional 79 million Americans are at high risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $245 billion.
Diabetes is a serious disease. If it isn’t managed, it can damage many parts of the body, leading to heart attacks, strokes, amputation, blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage. But there is good news: diabetes complications can be prevented or delayed by properly managing blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Eating healthy, being physically active and quitting smoking can also help lower the risk of diabetes complications.
“We’re excited to share this campaign and heighten the overall awareness of diabetes in Southwest Washington,” said Andrea Bruno, executive director. “Diabetes doesn’t stop. It is 24/7, 365 days a year. By calling on our community to take a public stand through social media, we continue to shine a light on the issue of diabetes and those who live with it each and every day.”
For more information in English and Spanish call 1-800-DIABETES or visit diabetes.org. Also, follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/AmericanDiabetesAssociation) and Twitter (twitter.com/AmDiabetesAssn).
To receive a free blood glucose screening from Walgreens, visit diabetes.org/oregonswwashington for a voucher and a list of participating locations. Voucher and appointment required.
Lauren Bryan represents the American Diabetes Association.
