This coming Friday, October 22, 1010, Arcadia Rotarians will hear from Beth Romans Cole, Corporate Development Manager at Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for the Greater Los Angeles Area.  Founded in 1970, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is “the worldwide leader for research to cure type 1 diabetes.  It sets the global agenda for diabetes research, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes science worldwide.”  Today Type One Diabetes is a world epidemic. 

On November 7, the JDRF will host its annual Walk for a Cure at Dodger Stadium.  For the first time, one of the teams competing to raise funds for the effort will be Team Rotary under the leadership of Arcadia Rotary’s Michael Ojeda.

Diabetes is characterized by a failure to regulate glucose, or blood sugar.  It can lead to serious health problems and even death.  The primary forms of diabetes are type 1, or juvenile diabetes, caused by a malfunction of the autoimmune system which undermines the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin, and type 2, often called adult onset, in which insulin production or use is impaired. 

Diabetes affects more than 250 million worldwide and will increase in the next decades to well over 300 million.  Developing countries are at greatest risk.  According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , without some kind of intervention, diabetes-related deaths are expected to increase by more than 50 percent in the next 10 years.  Martin Silink, president of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), has pointed out that half of the 440,000 children with diabetes worldwide lack access to the insulin they need to live.”

In 2006, Beth Cole’s organization, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation teamed up with Rotary International, Lions International, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and other diabetes organizations, in successfully petitioning the United Nations to declare November 14 “World Diabetes Day.” 

In 2008, Rotary International set up the Rotarian Action Group for Diabetes (RAGD).   At its January, 2009 meeting the Board of Rotary International recognized the new group.   RAGD’s president is C. Wayne Edwards  The treasurer is  Dr. Larry C. Deeb   Both are members of Rotary Club of Tallahassee, District 6940.  Since 1995, Edwards and Deeb had collaborated on several Rotary Foundation Matching Grants aimed at raising money for diabetes education.

The purpose of Rotary’s action 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.” 

We can further this objective by taking part in “Team Rotary” and raising money for a cure.