Nearly 26 million children and adults in America live with diabetes, and another 79 million at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The disease is taking a devastating physical, emotional and financial toll on our country. Recent numbers by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spell out why diabetes presents such a critical health challenge:

• Every 17 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes.
• Diabetes kills more people each year than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
• Nearly 6 million people in the United States have type 2 diabetes and do not know it. Many have no signs or symptoms.
• Recent estimates project that as many as 1 in 3 American adults will have diabetes in 2050 unless we take steps now to slow or stop this disease.

Now is the time to act. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to rally individuals, communities and families.  UTMB Health and the Stark Diabetes Center join in a national effort to educate and help eradicate this disease.