FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 14, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT
Cheryle Rodriguez, cheryle.rodriguez@vdh.virginia.gov
Virginia Governor Proclaims November as Diabetes Awareness Month
Proclamation Recognizes American Diabetes Month
(Richmond, Va.) — The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced today that Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has proclaimed November as Diabetes Awareness Month in the Commonwealth. Diabetes is a chronic disease that is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations and adult-onset blindness in the United States. In Virginia, more than 630, 000 people are living with some form of the disease. More than 2.1 million Virginians have prediabetes and most people are unaware that they have the disease. VDH is encouraging Virginians to learn more about diabetes and check their status to see if they’re at risk for the disease.
“The lack of knowledge about how to manage the disease can have serious negative consequences on one’s health and quality of life,” said Jennie Dinh, Diabetes Supervisor at the Virginia Department of Health. “Diabetes can be managed and prediabetes can be reversed if early action is taken.”
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease. The illness usually develops gradually in adults and sometimes in children. Diabetes is controllable with diet, exercise and monitoring glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes is sometimes treated with medication or insulin injections.
VDH and its public and private partners are working to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes with Virginia’s plan to take part in the National Diabetes Prevention Program. The program helps make it easier for people at risk to be part of a network that helps them reduce their risk of developing the disease.
For more information about the disease, including pre-diabetes, Type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes, visit Diabetes and Prediabetes (virginia.gov).
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