November is Diabetes Awareness Month

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:09:32 -0500
awareness, chronic, conditions, diabetes, disability, health, insulin, metformin, month, sds, student

Diabetes Awareness Month is celebrated in November, where we call attention to a serious health condition that is no laughing matter with its need for monitoring and management, as well as its intersection with disability and mortality. November includes World Diabetes Day (November 14th) which was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Foundation and the World Health Organization to recognize growing concerns about escalating health threats posed by diabetes. In 2006, it was recognized by the UN, and is celebrated on the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922.

Diabetes has a wide global reach and fits within the definition of a disability, and sometimes concerns about its flares (especially with Type 1) have graduate and undergraduate students reach out for on-campus resources, such as

Retriever Integrated Health for a wide range of health needs

Student Disability Services for academic accommodation - undergrad and grad students

Employee Accommodations (when leave use and existing policies may not be sufficient)

The students with UMBC College Diabetes Network Chapter let us know that their national organization has been renamed to The Diabetes Link, with the tagline: Diabetes does not define you, but does define us, we exist to support and empower you. The students' recommended Diabetes Resources for young adults include:

BeyondType1: https://beyondtype1.org/college-university-with-type-1-diabetes/

The Diabetes Link, Where Young Adults Thrive: https://thediabeteslink.org/

American Diabetes Association: https://www.diabetes.org/resources/know-your-rights/safe-at-school-state-laws/special-considerations/college-and-beyond

diaTribe: https://diatribe.org/going-college-and-have-diabetes-learn-you-go-%E2%80%93-powered-college-diabetes-network

TIDEPOOL: https://www.tidepool.org/blog/navigating-diabetes-and-college-life

JDRF Mid Atlantic Chapter (previously JDRF Maryland Chapter): https://www.jdrf.org/midatlantic/

Get more details on the UMBC Diabetes Link chapter by reaching out via this link.