November is ‘Diabetes Awareness Month’ giving people with the condition a chance to raise awareness of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, educate peers and inspire others.
This month has been chosen as World Diabetes Day (WDD) falls in the middle of the month, on November 14, providing a focus for awareness raising activities.
Throughout the month of November, it is embraced online by people with diabetes who use social media to share myth-busting facts about blood sugar control, cartoons about the funny side of the condition and inspirational quotes.
Diabetes charities and organisations use the month to showcase the work they do to support people with diabetes, be that education, development of technology, research towards better care or a cure.
Type 1 and Type 2 are the two main types of diabetes. There are rarer types too such as Mody. Each type is very different and has its own causes, its own medications and its own problems. What they all have in common is they raise sugar levels in the blood and can cause serious damage the body.
There is often confusion about the different types of diabetes and much of the education shared during Diabetes Awareness Month is around these differences.
Some organisations will be airing live conversations on complications of Type 1 on Facebook, others are releasing PDF fact sheets on the symptoms of Type 1, and some are focussing on fundraising for diabetes charities.
Diabetes Month aims to raise awareness that diabetes is not just about taking medication, it is about balancing the many factors that effect blood sugar level: what you eat, exercise, and stress for example, with the amount of medication taken throughout the day. Each day involves a thousand small decisions and things to remember. There are appointments, checks, calculations, and what to eat and knowing things will not always go to plan. Blood sugars need careful monitoring and micro adjustments can be made throughout the day, and many find that at times it can be overwhelming.
However, people with diabetes can not only live full and healthy lives, but some become top athletes, achieve fame or even rule the country (Theresa May).
Diabetes Awareness Month aims to show the multitude of different aspects to having diabetes and that it can make life harder but it doesn’t mean people with diabetes need to change their ambitions or outlook on life.
For those unfortunate enough to experience complications with diabetes some of which can lead to mobility difficulties, there are an increasing number of mobility solutions. At Stiltz Home Lifts, we are committed to making home life easier for all people with impaired mobility, by giving easy access to all floors of the family home. For more information about our range of domestic lifts, complete the contact us form, call 0330 222 0334 or info@stiltz.co.uk