February 22, 2001The National Diabetes Education Program announced today that NBA All-Star Jerry Stackhouse will be featured in a new PSA campaign emphasizing the importance of supporting people with diabetes who need to manage the disease every day of their lives. Stackhouse knows the devastating effects of diabetes. Although he doesn't have the disease, two of his sisters died from diabetes complications while still in their 40s and both his parents have diabetes.
"Managing diabetes is tougher than anything I do," says the Detroit Pistons guard in the TV PSA. Stackhouse doesn't want others to experience the loss he's suffered. That's why he's joined forces with the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) to raise awareness of the seriousness of diabetes and how to control the disease. The NDEP is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset diabetes) has increased 30 percent in the last decade and accounts for 90 to 95 percent of the 16 million Americans with diabetes. Even more alarming, type 2 diabetes is being diagnosed more frequently in adolescents and young adults. Among people aged 30-39, diabetes increased a staggering 70 percent.
Certain ethnic groups are particularly hard hit by the disease. For example, African Americans are more than one and a half times as likely as whites to get diabetes.
"Diabetes is the epidemic of our times and continues to increase," said Dr. Charles Clark, Jr., Chairman of the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP). "While deaths from heart disease, stroke, and cancer have all declined, deaths from diabetes have increased," said Clark.
Scientific evidence shows that aggressive management of diabetes can significantly delay or prevent the serious complications of the disease -- kidney failure, blindness, and toe, foot, or leg amputations. Controlling blood sugar levels also reduces risk for heart disease, the major killer of people with diabetes.
Managing diabetes means eating the right foods, getting regular physical activity, monitoring blood sugar and taking prescribed medications. Family members are often involved in these lifestyle changes and can provide effective emotional and practical support for their loved ones with diabetes.
The Stackhouse campaign features TV, radio, and print public service announcements, as well as a brochure offering tips for helping and supporting people with diabetes. The new awareness campaign will help reinforce the National Diabetes Education Program's award-winning "Control Your Diabetes. For Life." campaign.
For more information about controlling diabetes, call 1-800-860-8747 or visit the NDEP web site at http://ndep.nih.gov.
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CONTACT:
Joanne Gallivan
Director, National Diabetes Education Program
National Institutes of Health
301-496-6110
