Lions Clubs International was challenged by Helen Keller in the 1920’s to become the Knights of the Blind, and ever since then the Lions have been assisting individuals with vision issues. So, what does that have to do with diabetes?

Diabetes is now the leading cause of blindness. 463 million adults worldwide live with diabetes, and the number is expected to rise to 700 million by the year 2045. According to the CDC over 37 million Americans suffer from diabetes.

Serious complications include heart disease, stroke amputation, kidney disease, and as mentioned earlier blindness and even death. In PA 11.3% of the population is diagnosed with diabetes. This accounts for an estimated 12.9 billion dollars in health costs each year. 303,000 people in PA have diabetes but don’t know it greatly escalating their health risks. 34.1% of the population has pre-diabetes. Types of diabetes are Type1 (Body produces very little and eventually no insulin), Type2 (Body doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t fully respond to insulin) & Gestational (only occurs during pregnancy).

Practicing a healthy lifestyle can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. Eat healthy foods, be active, and get a 150 minutes of physical activity per week. Lose weight, you may be able to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by losing 5-7% of your starting weight.

Please visit the resources section of the Diabetes Coalition website for more information, or attend one the health fairs or expos offered during the year. Lions Clubs International are now committed to diabetes awareness & education to prevent future health risks and blindness.

About the author

Ronald Bollinger II is a member of the Lion’s Club and advocate for helping people in the community along with providing resources for the community in particular, Diabetes. In addition to the Lion’s Club, Ronald is also a members of the Diabetes’s Coalition of York.