Diabetes Awareness Month & World Diabetes Day November 14

Diabetes Awareness Month is held every November and World Diabetes Day is observed on November 14th annually.  This year the campaign links the urgent need for action for the protection of the health of our future generations.  "Protect Our Future" is the International Diabetes Federations World Diabetes Day theme for 2012.

During the month of November we are encouraging businesses, organizations, schools and community groups to hold diabetes awareness events at their worksites, to provide diabetes prevention and control education materials (see resources below), and to offer the ADA Diabetes Risk Test (see link below). We urge all Californians to take action for Diabetes Awareness Month and ensure that they receive a Diabetes Risk Screening.

Bring Diabetes Day to Light 

The campaign encourages local World Diabetes Day observances and the lighting of local buildings or monuments in blue. In 2010 we lit the Califorina State Capitol buliding for the second year, in 2009, over 1000 monuments through out the world participated including the California State Capitol, Los Angeles International Airport and the San Francisco Ferry Building.   

Diabetes Awareness Month and World Diabetes Day – November 2012

California Diabetes Program (CDP) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA), in collaboration with Lilly, UC Davis Health System, Molina Health Plan and industry partners, implemented the Learn your Risk for diabetes campaign.  This year, CDP’s Tami MacAller is the Chair of the Capital Region Planning Committee for Diabetes Awareness Month and World Diabetes Day. The campaigns focus is to increase awareness about diabetes risk through worksite wellness and community programs, specifically those with populations most at risk for diabetes. Events throughout the region were implemented for over 2075 participants and 10,000 homeowners. The events included Sacramento Regional Transit, Health Net Provider Symposium, Blue Diamond Almonds, San Joaquin Medical Society Diabetes Summit, Vision Services Plan with the Kings at Power Balance Arena, Sonora Regional Medical Center, San Joaquin County Chronic Disease Prevention Task Force, Millennium Housing, and Mariani Nut Company in Winters. The ADA Diabetes Risk Test www.diabetes.org/learnyourriskand a variety of health education materials were provided along with volunteers to staff these local events.

Statewide, e-blasts were sent out to CDP partners encouraging them to implement awareness of World Diabetes Day and Diabetes Awareness Month and to utilize the resources on the Diabetes Information Resource Center web page from National Diabetes Education Program, the ADA, and others for their events throughout the state.  Some of these events included:

Launching of the Brand New! San Joaquin County “HEALTH HUB”: supported by San Joaquin County Medical Society.  www.HEALTHHUBsj.com  

Proclamation: San Joaquin County officially Proclaims November 14^th as Diabetes Awareness Day.

Sacramento State Capitol World Diabetes Day lighting:

Joining cities around the world to commemorate World Diabetes Day on November 14, 2012, the JDRF arranged to light the Capitol Blue.

Diabetes Hands Foundation (http://diabeteshandsfoundation.org) implemented the BIG BLUE TEST  online nationally. This year there have been over 20,000 Big Blue Test entries and the programs sponsor is donating $100,000 that will be granted to nonprofit organizations to provide life-saving supplies, services and education to people with diabetes in need.

DASH Sports held events on Nov 10^th in Cupertino and Nov. 14^th for World Diabetes Day at Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco.

Dance Out Diabetes! Held their annual Diabetes Awareness Month DOD event on Nov 10th at the African American Art & Culture Complex in San Francisco.

Shasta County/ Redding: Shasta Regional Medical Center recognized World Diabetes Day with a FREE Diabetes Screening on Wednesday November 14^th .

Thank you to all those throughout the state who commemorated World Diabetes Day with events and educational efforts!