How Will You Celebrate American Diabetes Day?

Filed in archive News on March 14, 2006

March 21st is American Diabetes Day, a time to raise awareness, and remember and honor those who work to fight the disease, both personally and through activism.

It may not seem like a time of celebration, with diabetes cited as a 'tsunami' level health epidemic, but I have fond memories of March 21st.

A large part of this is due to last year, when my cousin Laura and several of her friends worked all day on March 21st at a diabetes fair: passing out information, urging people to check their blood sugar, offering diet and exercise tips. After a long, exhausting day spend in the stifling Florida sunshine, Laura and her friends, sticky and sunburned, celebrated by stripping down to their undies and splashing in the huge university fountain.

I suppose this wouldn't be advisable for people outside of the southern states in March, but everybody needs to figuratively strip down and sneak into a fountain sometimes.

Even with the crushing weight of the apparent future of the disease, March 21st is a day to celebrate; to celebrate the amazing research and information scientists are offering every day to help us conquer the world's largest health epidemic. It's a day to celebrate those who face the battle with courage and conviction, making every day a victory in living.

How will you celebrate american diabetes Day?

(Photo Source: Drury University)