Mangano to “Bring Diabetes to Light

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano will be joined by representatives from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Long Island and Winthrop University Hospital at a ceremony in recognition of World Diabetes Day on TODAY, Monday, November 14, 2011. The program, “Bring Diabetes to Light,” will be held at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola, and the official “Blue Illumination” of the building’s dome will take place following the ceremony.

“World Diabetes Day helps to bring an increased awareness of the disease and the young people affected by it,” said County Executive Mangano. “With almost 200 children developing diabetes every day, it is a message that we should all carry throughout the year.”

World Diabetes Day is the primary global awareness campaign of the diabetes world. It is celebrated each November 14th to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1922. World Diabetes Day is celebrated worldwide by over 200 member associations in 160 countries.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. Type I diabetes is growing by 4% per year in children and adolescents, with 70,000 children under 15 developing the disease each year. Currently, an estimated 3 million children live with Type I diabetes globally, and while Type II diabetes was once seen as a disease of adults, it is growing at alarming rates in children and adolescents.