The RI Board of Directors  has approved a new Rotarian Action Group to help fight the growing epidemic of diabetes.

"It's clear there is an opportunity for Rotarians to help," says Larry Deeb, a physician and director of the Rotarian Action Group for Diabetes."

 

The RI Board of Directors  has approved a new Rotarian Action Group to help fight the growing epidemic of diabetes.

According to the International Diabetes Federation  (IDF), there are currently 246 million cases of the disease worldwide, with a projected 380 million cases by 2025. The greatest increases will likely occur in the developing world.

"It's clear there is an opportunity for Rotarians to help," says Larry Deeb, a physician and director of the Rotarian Action Group for Diabetes. "Rotary has a unique way of engineering awareness, funds, and ground support to growing problems in the world. Our action group will bring visibility to the fight against diabetes."

The disease, characterized by a failure to regulate glucose, or blood sugar, can lead to serious health problems and even death. It occurs in two main forms: type 1, caused by a malfunction of the autoimmune system that compromises the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin, and type 2, often called adult onset, in which the body's ability to produce or use insulin is impaired.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  estimates that diabetes-related deaths will increase by more than 50 percent in the next 10 years without some kind of intervention.

With 44 members, the action group's initial service goals include addressing type 1 diabetes.