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| C u r e N o w |
a webzine for diabetics
Diabetes FAQ
| Letter From The Editor |
Q. What is diabetes?
A. Diabetes is an disease that is caused when the pancreas no longer makes
insulin. This causes a build-up of sugar in the blood stream.
Q. How do you treat diabetes?
A. People can treat their diabetes by taking man-made insulin using a syringe
or an insulin pump that drips insulin in constantly. Diabetics must
also test their blood sugar, eat low amounts of sugar and exercise regularly.
Q. My dad has diabetes. Does that mean I'll get it too?
A. If you have a parent that has diabetes, there is a higher chance of developing
diabetes. You can call your local hospital and get tested to see if
you are genetically predisposed to it.
Q. How is diabetes caused? Is it from eating too much sugar?
A. No! Type 1 diabetes is not caused from eating too much sugar/being bad/not exercising/
etc. Doctors don't exactly know how diabetes is caused, but diabetes happens
when the beta cells in the pancreas no longer make insulin. This can happen when the
antibodies made by the immune system attacks the pancreas because the antibodies think the
beta cells are foreign and have to be destroyed. Doctors are still looking for ways to prevent diabetes, but having diabetes isn't anyones fault.
Q. Can you die from diabetes?
A. Sort of. While diabetes is not fatal, improper care of your diabetes can cause
complications, such as kidney failure or blindness. These complications,
and more, can cause death. This is why it's very important to take good care of yourself by checking your blood sugars, taking insulin, and eating right- and seeing your doctor on a regular basis.
Q. Are there any famous people with diabetes?
A. Yes. As a matter of fact, there are quite a few. Mary Tyler Moore, of "The
Mary Tyler Moore Show", has had diabetes for thirty years. Another
famous diabetic is former Miss America Nicole Johnson. She has had diabetes
for seven years.
Q. I'm just a kid- can I really help find a cure?
A. Absolutly! Anyone can help- even kids. The most important thing right now is getting funding for research. And the easiest way to get funding for research is to do local fundraising. Asking friends and family for money is very important if the doctors are going to have enough money for medical equipment. The government gives funding too- but it's not enough. So we have to ask our representatives, senators, governors- and the president- for more funding for diabetes. Writing letters is something everyone can do, no matter how old or young.
Q. When will there be a cure?
A. No one really knows. Some people believe that with the success of either
islet cell transplants or stem cells, a cure will be found within the
next ten to twenty years. But there is no guarentee.