Welcome to
President Beatriz Doran-Scoop’s
2002-2003 Diabetes Awareness Campaign

Take time to read and respond to this vital health issue!

President Beatriz Doran-Scoop invites your club to participate in her Diabetes Awareness Campaign, adapted by President Beatriz from the FDA Office of Women's Health. Diabetes affects the body's ability to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose to enter the cells and be used for energy.

First, learn the facts…

• Diabetes can cause difficulties during pregnancy and raises a woman's risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as blindness, kidney failure, and loss of limbs.
• Diabetes is a serious and growing epidemic in America and the world, especially among women.
• Women are more likely to develop diabetes than men and to experience more serious complications, including heart disease and problems in pregnancy.
• More than 9 million American women have diabetes. Three million of them are not even aware of it.

Second, check warning signs…

The warning signs that women need to recognize are fatigue, frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss and irritability. Recurring skin, gum, and bladder infections, blurred vision, cuts and bruises that are slow to heal are also potential signs and symptoms.

Third, join the ‘Take Time to Care’ Campaign!

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson launched a nationwide campaign in the United States in May 2002 to raise women's awareness about diabetes. The campaign, which is sponsored by HHS' Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Diabetes Association (ADA), and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), emphasizes that women—the family's primary caregivers—can make a positive difference to the whole family's health, including their own.

"Women need to recognize that diabetes is a growing health hazard they can and should do something about," Secretary Thompson said. "Because more than 5 million people are undiagnosed, we want women, who serve as primary caregivers in the family, to learn about the early signs of diabetes and see their doctor about detection. (Pre-diabetes occurs when blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes.) I hope this campaign will help many women recognize the warning signs for diabetes, so that they and their families can take proactive steps to improve their health."

What YOU can do…

Armed with the key facts, everybody can take steps to prevent Type 2 diabetes and to ensure that they get appropriate, effective treatments once diagnosed. The message is that diabetes can be controlled if you:

• Watch what you eat and get exercise
• Use medicines wisely
• Check your blood sugar and know your diabetes ABCs

What YOUR CLUB can do…

Help spread the word about diabetes throughout Quota's world. President Beatriz Doran-Scoop invites every club to join her in increasing awareness about diabetes and its warning signs in every Quota club and community.

1. Contact your health care facility or one of the following organizations for information and program ideas.

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Department of Women's Health—www.fda.gov/womens. This site provides information about the "Take Time to Care" Campaign.
• All Health and Human Services press releases, fact sheets, and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.
• "Take Time to Care" partner—American Diabetes Association—www.diabetes.org.
• "Take Time to Care" partner—National Association of Chain Drug Stores—www.nacds.org.
• Consumer information about diabetes is available through the National Diabetes Education Program, an effort sponsored jointly by the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control, and 200 public and private partners, at www.ndep.nih.gov.
• Call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).

2. Plan a club information program on diabetes awareness. Then, consider planning a community awareness event or take part in one already organized in your area.

3. Share your success with President Beatriz!
Click here* to use the Club Response Form (PDF format) to report on how many members you reached with this message and what events, programs, or activities you held. Please complete and return your form so that it is received no later than June 1, 2003. Mail or fax your form (or e-mail your responses) to:

President Beatriz Doran-Scoop
Quota International
1420 21st Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036 U.S.A.

Fax: 202.331.43.95
E-mail: president@quota.org

* To view or print out this publication, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here to go to Adobe's Web site and download a free copy of Acrobat Reader.

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