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Sheet Metal Workers Raise Awareness

On April 18, 2010 several members from Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 105, office staff and the local community came together for the third annual 5k fun walk to raise money for Diabetes. Diabetes is one of the fastest growing medical problems in America. Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas needed to convert sugar and starches into energy for daily life. In people with diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells do not properly respond to the insulin. An estimated 17 million Americans have diabetes, or approximately 5 percent of the U.S. population is at risk. Tragically, the incidence of the disease in some ethnic groups is as high as fifty percent. Symptoms of diabetes can develop suddenly (over days or weeks) in previously healthy individuals, or can develop gradually (over several years) in overweight adults over the age of 40. The classic symptoms include feeling tired and sick, frequent urination, excessive thirst, excessive hunger, and weight loss. Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In Type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. The money raised will help provide comprehensive services designed to help patients most seriously affected by the disease. There is a variety of services and education made available through the money raised such as, assistance with long-term complications of diabetes like kidney problems, diet and nutrition instruction and tips and education about skin, foot and eye care.