Today Is World Diabetes Day

Today is World Diabetes Day. What is World Diabetes Day? Well that is a great question and it has a great answer to it as well. No child should die of diabetes.

World Diabetes Day is a global awareness campaign introduced in 1991 by the Diabetes Federation and World Health Organization to help promote awareness for Diabetes. The UN General Assembly also passed the resolution (61/225) to acknowledge the campaign as an official World Day in the beginning of 2007. They try and encourage all nations to develop policies for prevention, care and treatment of diabetes.

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic condition when the pancreas can not produce enough insulin or the body cannot use the insulin it produces. Insulin allows cells in the body to take in glucose from the blood for energy. Hyperglycemia happens when insulin production fails and glucose levels in the blood increase. Long-term damage to the body can happen as well as failure of various organs and tissues.

There are 2 main types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease which is caused by the destruction of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This is where people must take insulin injections or use an insulin pump to survive. Type 2 is when you cannot use the insulin your body produces.

This year’s campaign is Diabetes and Children. Know the Warning Signs

What Can I Do To Help?

You can head over to the World Diabetes Day website to find out ways you can show your support to to help create awareness for diabetes.

If you are a blogger you can of course create awareness through your blog by mentioning this post, other people’s posts or even information from their website.

If you are on Twitter: Help re-tweet various URLs throughout the day.

If you are on Facebook: Make a note, share a URL, or even create a simple status update to inform your friends and family.

Help Buzz Bishop’s Team Diabetes Easter Island reach their goal of $9000 by donating to their efforts.

Around the Online Community

Buzz Bishop (Local Radio DJ) talks about 95Crave and their World Diabetes Day Auction

Kerri Morrone Sparling has a blog all about diabetes.

Are you currently living with diabetes? dLife is a great diabetes online resource. They also have some really tasty sounding recipes!

TuDiabetes is another online community for people living with diabetes as well as a resource for diabetes awareness.