LETTERS: CHECK FOR DIABETES

To the editor:

It's time to sound the diabetes alert. For 24 hours on March 26, the American Diabetes Association will be actively trying to identify some of the 7 million Americans who have diabetes and don't know it.

Like many Americans, many Missouri residents believe that since diabetes is treatable, they don't need to be concerned about getting it. They're mistaken. Diabetes is a serious, life-threatening disease that can cause devastating health complications including blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke and amputations. The disease is especially common in African American, Hispanic and Native American populations.

Each year, our association sets aside one day to concentrate all our resources to encourage people to take a simple written test that can tell them if they're at high risk for diabetes. It's called the American Diabetes Test.

We would like to encourage all your readers to mark their calendars for March 26 and call us at 1-800-DIABETES for a free-risk test and other helpful information about diabetes.

Until there's a cure, there's the American Diabetes Association.

JANET STEWART, Board Member

Southeast Area Chapter

American Diabetes Association

Cape Girardeau