Title
To proclaim March 25, 2008 American Diabetes Alert Day in Columbus, Ohio.
Body
WHEREAS, nearly 21 million Americans, including one in 10 in central Ohio, have diabetes, a disease that has no cure, and which is the fifth-leading cause of death by disease in the United States; and
WHEREAS, more than one-third of the people with diabetes - 6.2 million Americans - don't know that that they have the disease; and
WHEREAS, another 54 million Americans have pre-diabetes, a condition that puts them at the highest risk for developing type 2 diabetes; and
WHEREAS, diabetes has many faces affecting everyone young and old alike, including: Caucasians, African Americas, Hispanics and Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; and
WHEREAS, minority populations in the United States have an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes, and one in three Americans - and one in two minorities - born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime, if present trends continue; and
WHEREAS, people with undiagnosed diabetes may experience damage to the heart, eyes, kidneys, and limbs - without producing any symptoms; and
WHEREAS, an increase in community awareness of risk factors and symptoms related to diabetes can improve the likelihood that people with diabetes will get the attention they need before suffering the devastating complications; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council does hereby proclaim March 25, 2008 American Diabetes Alert Day and encourages all central Ohioans to help fight this disease and its life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and amputation by increasing awareness of the risk factors for diabetes, making healthy lifestyle choices and providing support to those suffering from diabetes.