Today, nearly 24 million people in the United States have diabetes, and one-quarter of those are undiagnosed.  Even more alarming is that 57 million Americans are at risk of developing the disease.  As we recognize American Diabetes Month this November, we should all take some time to pause and reflect how this disease affects all of us, adults and children.

Since 1987, the death rate due to diabetes has increased by 45 percent, and, sadly, diabetes remains the nation’s seventh leading cause of death.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if the present trends continue, 1 in 3 children born today will develop diabetes in their lifetime.  I recognize the impact this disease has on our sons and daughters, our friends, our spouses and our parents and grandparents.  That is why I have led many efforts in the House of Representatives to unite Republicans and Democrats together in our efforts to find a cure for this debilitating disease.

For many years, I have been a member of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus.  Organized in 1996, the Diabetes Caucus has today grown to be the largest in the Congress with more than 250 members.  Our mission is to educate members of Congress and their staffs about diabetes and to support legislation that would improve diabetes research, education and treatment.

Earlier this year, I cosponsored the National Diabetes Coordinator Act of 2008 which would establish a National Diabetes Coordinator to help the federal government work to reduce the incidence, progression, and impact of diabetes and its complications.  The bill would require the Health and Human Services Secretary to develop a national strategy to combat diabetes and would also require the Secretary of Agriculture to develop ways in which food programs and nutritional support can be better targeted to those at risk for diabetes and those already diagnosed.

As the facts illustrate, diabetes is relentless, debilitating and—without question—deadly. If left undiagnosed or untreated, the consequences of diabetes are far more serious than many people realize. American Diabetes Month is an opportunity for all of us to look at diabetes differently and to get involved in the fight against it. The most critical thing you can do is to take control of your own health and to encourage your families and your communities to do the same. 

If you would like to learn more about diabetes and its serious complications, please visit diabetes.org or call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES.

Sincerely,

 
Mike Ross

Mike talks with students in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) on Oct. 28, 2008.