American Diabetes Month
“For the diagnosed, diabetes can affect every decision – what to eat, wear, do and other decisions about how they’ll take care of themselves. Yet the 24/7 burden of diabetes management is often misunderstood.”
Is diabetes a serious disease? In a word … Yes. Diabetes causes more deaths per year than breast cancer and AIDS combined, and having diabetes nearly doubles your chance of having a heart attack. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the US. It can cause blindness, kidney disease, and other health problems if it’s not controlled.
One in 10 Americans have diabetes — that’s more than 30 million people. And another 84 million adults in the United States are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The growing number of people with diabetes is directly linked to the growing number of Americans with obesity. Nearly 40 percent of the population is considered obese; that’s up from 30.5 percent in 2000.
The good news?
- People who are at high risk for type 2 diabetes can lower their risk by more than half by making healthy changes, like eating healthy, losing weight and increasing activity.
- If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, managing your diabetes can reduce your risk of complications.
How to make a difference?
Visit www.diabetes.org – there you will find more information about diabetes, how you can help, and ways to prevent diabetes from becoming the everyday reality for millions more:
- Take the Risk Test
- Learn the Facts
- Become an Advocate
- Donate
Let’s all learn more about diabetes and how to prevent it!
When you find a great sale, new coffee shop or restaurant, don’t you just have to share it on Facebook, and with your friends when you see them? Think of MemberShip the same way. If you enjoy volunteering, shouldn’t you share that enthusiasm with all your friends, and even strangers?
Remember to incorporate recruiting into your volunteer efforts. Bring business cards and promotional materials to your club events. Share event information on social media and during gatherings. Invite someone to join your volunteer efforts and encourage them to join.
Sometimes as we recruit, we encounter geographic or other barriers. If you think someone would make a great clubwoman and she can’t join your club, share the new club packet and encourage her to start a club of her own! It’s easier that you think. Here is the checklist of the basic requirements:
- Members: 5 members (or more)
- Objectives: Club’s objectives conform to those of GFWC-NC
- Name: Include “GFWC” in the club name
- Submit: Charter application, bylaws, dues, roster to GFWC-NC HQ
Help that new club get started so we can welcome them into the Federation next April!
Join us in Burlington November 9th for the Fall Meeting. The registration form can be found in the clubwoman magazine or contact hq@gfwcnc.org. Come and enjoy hands-on projects for women in the military, domestic violence victims, & children, tree planting, workshops, “Passport to Learning” and your Federation friends!