Casey O'Connor, American Diabetes Association; Darryl Brazill, Black Health Care Coalition; Mayor Emmanuel Cleaver II; PDG Ralph Wienke, Public Relations Chairman; Susan Parker Sellers, Diabetes Awareness Chairman.

District 26-G's Diabetic Committee had a very eventful and fulfilling month in November, which was National Diabetes Month.

We declared November 20, 1997 to be Kansas City Diabetes Awareness Day. Pulling this together to be a successful event took many telephone calls, faxes and personal visits with the medical professionals in the Kansas City area. We are proud to say they all came through for the Lions.

We received support and assistance from the National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP), American Diabetes Association (ADA), Juvenile Diabetes Foundation (JDF), the American Academy of Opthamology (AAO), the Black Health Care Coalition (BHCC), Saint Luke's Hospital area pharmacy, Kansas City Star, WDAF Television, Diabetes Monitor on the World Wide Web and the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation (MLERF).

With all this assistance we still needed the key ingredient, location. The Kansas City Alpha Lions hold an annual pancake breakfast the third Thursday in November and they opened their event to the Diabetes Awareness Day. The location secured was the Westport Presbyterian Church, located in Westport, just south of Kansas City and north of the Country Club Plaza. It couldn't have been better!

1000 pharmacy inserts warning of diabetic retinopathy, with our event published on the back of each insert, were taken to seven pharmacies in the area and were inserted in prescription bags for distribution. We had several Lions clubs participate in placing 85 posters in area businesses. There were several articles in local newspapers, we had radio stations deliver our public service announcements, and it was also promoted in the Diabetic Monitor on the World Wide Web. All 26-G Diabetic screenings will be on the web in the future.

WDAF television, Fox Morning show, invited Diabetes Chairman, Susan Parker Sellers, to be interviewed on the morning of November 17, 1997 to discuss diabetes and its impact on the Kansas City area and to invite the public to the Lions Kansas City Diabetes Awareness Day on November 20th.

That same afternoon an entourage consisting of Casey O'Connor, Youth Program coordinator for the ADA; Darryl Brazill, KC South Lions member and BHCC Diabetes coordinator; PDG Ralph Wienke and Lion Georgia Wienke of Kansas City Alpha Lions, and Chairman Susan Parker Sellers and Lion Jerry Sellers of KC South Lions, were invited to the mayors office. Mayor of Kansas City, Emmanuel Cleaver II, presented them with a proclamation declaring November 20, 1997 to be Kansas City Diabetes Awareness Day.

The Health Screening was a success! Videos were run continuously, in Spanish as well as English, covering the different aspects of diabetes and how it effects individuals. Casey O'Connor, Darryl Brazill, a representative from Dr. Matthew Ziemianski office (AAO) and the Diabetes Director for St. Luke's Hospital were on site to answer questions. Of those who attended, 30 people chose to be screened for diabetes and an equal number were tested for glaucoma by a representative from MLERF. We had a large selection of materials and we answered many questions. It was a very rewarding day.

16 million Americans have diabetes and half are not aware of it. It is our responsibility as Lions to make the public aware of this disease. There is no cure for diabetes, however, it can be managed and you can live a very happy and productive life.