“American Diabetes month is a great opportunity to educate ourselves on the seriousness of diabetes care, to learn preventive measures and to remember the millions we have lost in our communities because of this tragic illness.

 

Every 17 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes in our country.  An estimated 800,000 adult New Yorkers, almost one in ten, now have diabetes, an increase of 13% since 2002.  The impact of diabetes hits the Latino and African Americans within our community even harder. Almost 20% of Latinos and 18% of African American New Yorkers have diabetes. 

 

We must take action to end this devastating trend.   We can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes through many healthy lifestyle choices, proper health care and education.  We must also focus on educating our youth so that future generations can lead the fight against this illness. 

 

Alongside the Obama Administration, I remain committed to advancing diabetes education, research, prevention, and treatment for our community and America. By passing the Affordable Care Act, we have been able to ensure that all Americans joining a new health plan can receive diabetes screenings, with no out-of-pocket costs. By 2014, Americans will not be denied insurance coverage because they have diabetes or other pre-existing conditions.

 

I hope my constituents will visit www.stopdiabetes.com , or call 1-800-DIABETES to learn how to join the millions in the movement to stop diabetes.

 

I also strongly encourage my constituents and the churches in my district to participate in Stop Diabetes Day (ID Day) on Sunday, November 13, 2011.  This is a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about diabetes and its deadly consequences in the African American community. On ID Day, churches with congregations of all sizes work with the American Diabetes Association to host diabetes education programs such as their Project Power workshops and other activities tailored to the needs of their church communities. They plan to involve 250 churches each from Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, & Manhattan. Register your church by contacting the Associations New York Office located at 333 7th Avenue, Suite 1700, New York, NY 10001 and by telephone at 212-725-4925."