Lions Raise Awareness of Diabetes with Tag Day on Nov. 5

Ed Grunig, second from the left, accepts a cheque from Lions Peter Minnelli, Marty Hawkins, and Gary Warriner towards the Legion’s poppy drive.

Westport Lions Roar

Lion Bob Reddick

The two questions you are usually asked in completing any medical questionnaire are: Are you a smoker, and are you diabetic?

One in three Canadians are living with diabetes or are prediabetic. If diabetes is left untreated or improperly managed, it can result in serious complications, including heart, kidney and eye disease, impotence, and nerve damage.

The first step in combating diabetes is awareness and education. November is diabetes awareness month across the globe. To support this initiative, the Westport Lions will be downtown Westport on Saturday, November 5 with resources and information to combat this disease. The Lions’ Diabetes Tag Day is an opportunity for our community to educate themselves about diabetes and show their support for individuals living with diabetes by donating money to fund education, support services, advocacy, and diabetes research.

Currently, 11.7 million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes, that’s one in three of us. Over 50% of type 2 diabetes is preventable through diet, and exercise. The World Health Organization estimates that 463 million people in the world have diabetes and by 2045, that number will increase to 700 million. Diabetes is the eighth leading cause of death in the world.

If there is diabetes in your family, you should be especially careful not to put weight on your waistline and even moderate physical activity will lower your risk. Be conscious of your diet, eat plenty of fibre-rich cereal products and vegetables every day and avoid deep fried and fatty foods. If you are interested in knowing your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, go to: https://www.idf.org/type-2-diabetes-risk-assessment/. The test takes only a couple of minutes to complete. It is a quick, easy, and confidential way to find out your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The signs and symptoms of diabetes include the following:

Unusual thirst
Frequent urination
Weight change (gain or loss)
Extreme fatigue or lack of energy
Blurred vision
Frequent or recurring infections
Cuts and bruises that are slow to heal
Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
Trouble getting or maintaining an erection

It is important to recognize that many people who have type 2 diabetes show no symptoms.

Diabetes is a global epidemic and is one of the five pillars of service of Lions International. The Westport Lions ask for your support to reduce the prevalence of diabetes and improve the quality of life for those diagnosed by donating on Saturday, November 5.