November is Diabetes Awareness Month

National Diabetes Awareness Month is a time to raise awareness about diabetes and its impact on millions of people in the U.S. and here in California. The numbers are staggering. Diabetes isn’t just a disease—it’s an epidemic. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), over 38 million Americans live with diabetes and nearly 98 million adults have prediabetes. The annual cost of this disease has risen to $412.9 billion, accounting for 25 percent of health care dollars spent in this country. Here in California, the statistics are just as grim. The ADA reports that approximately 3.57 million adults in California (11.7%), have diagnosed diabetes costing the state nearly $40 billion each year to treat.

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body processes blood sugar. There are two types of diabetes: type 1, where the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, and type 2, where the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or becomes resistant to it. In addition to these, there is also gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy and can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

The focus of Diabetes Awareness Month is not only on increasing awareness but also on prevention, early detection, and better management of the condition. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding smoking can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Early detection through regular screenings is vital for preventing complications, including heart disease, kidney damage, and nerve problems, all of which can result from unmanaged diabetes.

California’s life sciences industry is also doing their part to manage, treat and potentially cure diabetes. In fact, many promising therapies are currently on the market or in the pipeline for type 1 or type 2 diabetes including oral medications, synthetic insulins, and injectables. These medications aim to help control blood sugar/glucose levels, promote weight loss for people with obesity, as well as protect the heart and kidneys.

View this link for more information about the latest diabetes discoveries.

Honoring Scientific Leaders During National Native American and Heritage Month and National Indigenous Peoples’ Month

Lori Arviso Alvord, M.D. is a Native American surgeon and author. She was the first Diné woman to ever become board certified in surgery and was nominated to serve as the U.S. Surgeon General in 2013. Her autobiography, The Scalpel and the Silver Bear has brought increased attention to her career as a Native American surgeon. She uses new techniques that bring together Navajo healing techniques and modern Western Medicine.

Lillian Eva Quan Dyck, Ph.D. OC, is a scholar, feminist, senator, advocate for Indigenous rights. She was the first Indigenous woman in Canada to earn a Ph.D. in science. She was also the first Indigenous female senator and the first Chinese Canadian senator. During her time in the Senate, she was part of several actions to improve life for Indigenous people in Canada. This includes work on criminal justice and Indigenous education reform, and bills to reinstate Indian Status to women who had lost it based on discriminatory laws. Before being appointed to the Senate, Dyck was a neuroscientist with the University of Saskatchewan, where she was also an associate dean.

Náníbaaʼ Garrison (Diné), Ph.D., is a bioethicist, geneticist, and associate professor in the Institute for Society and Genetics and Department of Internal Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a member of the Navajo Nation, and her career has focused on studies of health conditions prevalent in, and attitudes toward genetics research among, the Navajo community.

Faye McMillan, DHlthSc, is the Australian government Deputy National Rural Health Commissioner. As a Wiradjuri Nation yinaa originally from Trangie, NSW, McMillan is a community pharmacist and was recognized as the first Indigenous Australian to hold a western degree in pharmacy in the country.

McMillan is a Professor in Indigenous Health in the School of Public Health at the University of Technology Sydney, a board member of the Australian Pharmacy Council, and chair of the APC Indigenous health strategy group. Professor McMillan provides expert advice to the National Rural Health Commissioner on improving access to health services, training, and education with a focus on Allied Health and First Nations Health.

Susan La Flesche Picotte, M.D. was a Native American medical doctor and reformer and member of the Omaha tribe. She is widely acknowledged as one of the first Indigenous people, and the first Indigenous woman, to earn a medical degree. She campaigned for public health and for the formal, legal allotment of land to members of the Omaha tribe.

Picotte was an active social reformer as well as a physician. She worked to discourage the consumption of alcohol on the reservation where she worked as the physician, as part of the temperance movement. Picotte also campaigned for the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis, which then had no cure, as part of a public health campaign. She also worked to help other Omaha navigate the bureaucracy of the Office of Indian Affairs and receive the money owed to them for the sale of their land.

Krystal Tsosie (Diné/Navajo Nation), Ph.D., MPH, MA, is an Indigenous geneticist-bioethicist and Assistant Professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. As an advocate for Indigenous genomic data sovereignty, she co-founded the first US Indigenous-led biobank, a 501c3 nonprofit research institution called the Native BioData Consortium.

Dr. Tsosie’s research includes Indigenous population genetics and bioethics. In particular, she focuses on bioethical engagement of Indigenous communities in genomics and data science to assess how Indigenous variations contribute to health inequities.