Middletown, DE  - Today, Congressman Mike Castle, co-chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, joined with the Delaware Pharmacists Society to host a free, public diabetes screening at the Middletown, Odessa, and Townsend (MOT) Senior Center in Middletown, Delaware.     

 Following the screenings, Rep. Castle hosted a brief press conference to help raise awareness about diabetes and provide information on diabetes management and preventing the onset of related complications. At the press conference, Rep. Castle also highlighted legislation that the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, the largest member organization in the U.S. House of Representatives (with 250 members), supports. 

“I would bet that almost every person in this room knows at least one person -- a family member, a friend, or a neighbor -- who is living with diabetes. My goal, as co-chair of the Diabetes Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, is to help convey the pressing nature of this public health epidemic and to work towards solutions with both public and private entities," said Rep. Castle. “Currently, we are working on various legislation to include podiatrists as physicians under Medicaid, to support the unique challenges faced by minority populations in diabetes education, treatment, care, and outcomes, and to provide Medicare reimbursement for certified diabetes educators. However, the real key is prevention and a robust research program.” 

“Additionally, the potential for curing Diabetes may lie in embryonic stem cell research.  I have spearheaded the initiative in Congress to remove existing federal barriers to funding and expansion of embryonic stem cell research. This is an initiative that President-elect Obama has named a priority for 2009 and I look forward to working with him in making this a reality. This research has such great potential to improve the lives of so many people who suffer from diseases for which there are no good treatments or cures."  

Following the Congressman’s remarks, Phyllis Bruce, one of the pharmacists who helped with today’s tests, spoke briefly about living with diabetes.   Since 1987, death rates due to diabetes have continued to rise, while the death rates due to heart disease, stroke and cancer have declined.  Nearly 24 million children and adults are currently living with diabetes and another 57 million Americans are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. In Delaware, there are approximately 70,000 throughout the state that suffer from various forms of the disease.