May 01, 2024

Share your story: American Diabetes Month theme is ‘This is Diabetes’

By Jenny Thompson

American Diabetes Association is encouraging people to share their personal diabetes story as part of the American Diabetes Month ‘This is Diabetes’ campaign. (Submitted photo)

Observed every November, American Diabetes Month is an important element in the American Diabetes Association’s efforts to focus our nation’s attention on the disease and the tens of millions of people affected by it.

The 2016 theme is “This Is Diabetes.” They will showcase real-life stories of friends, families and neighbors managing the day-to-day triumphs and challenges of the disease. Join as they salute the 29 million Americans with diabetes — as well as their loved ones — to raise awareness and to create a sense of urgency about this growing public health crisis.

The campaign invites people to submit their own stories to capture the authenticity of those who understand this disease best. They invite the diverse diabetes community to stand up and declare “This Is Diabetes.”

November 2016 —

Share Your Story

• Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death

• Every 23 seconds, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with diabetes.

• Diabetes causes more deaths than AIDS and breast cancer combined.

• 1 in 11Americans has diabetes today.

• 86 million Americans are at risk for diabetes

This is how we reach our goals: EDUCATION, AWARENESS,
EMPOWERMENT and SUPPORT.

This is how you can get involved: Share your story, photo or video on social media using #ThisIsDiabetes. Become an advocate to help ensure diabetes gets the attention it deserves. Use the new Facebook profile picture frame to tell the world “This Is Diabetes” all month long.

Visit diabetes.org/adm or call 1-800-DIABETES

Take advantage of these events occurring in honor of Diabetes Month:

• There will be a diabetes educational event at 6 p.m. Monday in the Hy-Vee Club Room.  Dodi Gooding, RN, RD, CDE and Jenny Thompson will be presenting this program. To register, call Hy-Vee at 641-792-7030 or email jlthompson@hy-vee.com to register.  Snacks will be provided.

• Diabetes Medication presentation by Cari Seddon, MA, RD, LDN, CDE at noon Nov. 21 in the Inservice Room A at Skiff Medical Center. BONUS: An individual with diabetes from our community will be telling his story. To register, call 641-787-3070.

• The American Diabetes Association annual walk will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Satuday at the Knapp center in Des Moines. For more information, visit diabetes/walkdsm or call 515-276-2237 ext. 6865.

• The Big Blue Test is part of the Diabetes Hands Foundation a non-profit organization started by people living with diabetes. This is the sixth year the Big Blue Test has raised money for other diabetes organizations. For more information, visit bigbluetest.org.

Physical activity is shown to lower blood sugars for both people with and without diabetes. For every physical activity entry logged, $3 will be donated to diabetes organizations helping people in need.

The goal is to have 150,000 entries by Monday. That would make a total of over $96,000 donated between today and Monday, if we reach our 150,000 entry goal.

To simplify the entry process, there is now a Big Blue Test app available for both Android and iOS. Simply search “Big Blue Test” in your device’s app store.