November 8 and Rotary's Fight Against The Growing Diabetes Epidemic

On Sunday, November 8 2009 at Dodger Stadium, family members, preschool friends, college buddies, coworkers and members of the Long Beach Little Ones family support group will be walking together as TEAM MIRANDA SARAH – among more than 12,000 others – in the Walk for a Cure, benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The team was named after Miranda Sarah Speirs (age 4) who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 3. Miranda is the grand-daughter of Arcadia Rotary member Dirk L. Hudson.

But what has this to do with Rotary International?

In 2006, Rotary International and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), along with such other groups as the International Diabetes Federation, the European Society for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), the American Diabetes Association (ADA), and Lions Clubs International successfully prevailed upon the United Nations to proclaim November 14 of World Diabetes Day. 1.

On November 14, 2008, hundreds attended Rotary International’s UN Day. “Speaking on one of the panels, Martin Silink, president of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), said that half of the 440,000 children with diabetes worldwide lack access to the insulin they need to live.” 2.

In November, 2008, the Board of Directors of Rotary International authorized its Action Group for Diabetes. 3. At its January, 2009 meeting the Board of Rotary International recognized the new group. 4. The president of the Group (RCAD) is C. Wayne Edwards (email: wayne@ragdiabetes.org ) The treasurer is Dr. Larry C. Deeb (email: larry@ragdiabetes.org ) Both are members of Rotary Club of Tallahassee, District 6940. 5. The purpose of the group “is to publicize to the Rotary world our concerns as to the spreading epidemic of this worldwide disease and how our Rotary Districts/Clubs can mobilize to provide another service to help mankind through a strong commitment to the education, identification, and treatment of diabetes, especially among children in developing countries.” 6.

Also that month, the Rotarian magazine featured an article about the collaborative efforts focused on diabetes (especially as it affects children) of Rotarians Edwards (whose wife and son have type 1 diabetes), Deeb (whose medical career is focused on diabetes), as well as Nicole Johnson, Miss America of 1999 (whose platform focused on diabetes awareness). Dr. Deeb is involved in the International Diabetes Federation program “Life for a Child,” as is both Edwards and Johnson, its 2004 chair. ( www.deeb.org ) 7.

In April of this year, the Rotarian magazine had a column about the new action group called “Rotarians Creating Awareness of Diabetes” (RCAD) whose inital service goals “include addressing type 1 diabetes which affects 440,000 children under the age of 15.” 8.

Twice this year, the Rotarian has also carried full page informational advertisements regarding diabetes over the emblems of the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). 9.

The Walk to Cure Diabetes at Dodger Stadium (benefitting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) is on November 8, 2009, less than a week before the World Diabetes Day (proclaimed by the UN at the request of Rotary International, JDRF, and others) on November 14, 2009.

Tony Parille, Arcadia Rotary’s vice president for community affairs ( parrlaw@sbcglobal.net ), and red badge member Michael Ojeda ( mike.ojeda@equitytitle.com ) are busy rounding up support for the event.
————————————————————————————-

Footnotes:
1. http://diabetes24-7.blogspot.com/2006/03/calling-on-united-nations-for-diabetes.html

2. http://www.rotary.org/en/mediaandnews/news/pages/081114_news_unday.aspx

3. (Minutes of the November 2008 Board of Directors Meeting, p. 21; agenda item 61 (2).)

http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/board_minutes0811_en.pdf

http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/081230_news_diabetes.aspx

4. (January, 2009 Board meeting highlights.)

http://www.rotary.org/en/Members/PoliciesAndProcedures/BoardDecisions/Pages/BoardHighlights0809.aspx

5. http://www.ragdiabetes.org/contact/ragd/

6. http://www.ragdiabetes.org/news/rotary_day_at_the_united_nations

7. Patty Lamberti, “Diabetes Has A New Face,” The Rotarian, November, 2008, pp. 54-56.

8. Ryan Hyland, “Tackling the Diabetes Epidemic,” The Rotarian, April, 2009, p. 55.

9. See The Rotarian for February, 2009 (page 76) and May, 2009 (page 76).