For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 30, 2001
National Diabetes Month, 2001
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
During the past century, we have made significant progress in our
fight against disease. Through public health campaigns and
aggressive research, we have eliminated polio in the United States,
reduced the harm of influenza outbreaks, and developed revolutionary
new medications that provide relief and healing from many chronic and
acute illnesses. However, effective treatments and cures to
numerous other illnesses remain elusive and demand our continued
attention and resources. One of the most prevalent and
difficult of these is diabetes, which currently afflicts more than 16
million Americans.
Diabetes can cause blindness, renal disease, severe nerve damage,
heart disease, strokes, and even death. This year
approximately 800,000 men, women, and children in the United States
will develop diabetes, and health officials estimate that it will be a
contributing factor in almost 200,000 deaths. The total
economic cost for providing medical treatment for diabetes patients and
for disability and deaths related to the disease is approximately $100
billion a year. More troubling are statistics indicating
that more than 5 million Americans are unaware of their diabetic
condition, seriously jeopardizing their long-term health and
well-being. An additional 10 million citizens are at high-risk of
developing type 2 diabetes due largely to physical inactivity, obesity,
and poor diet.
Recent scientific findings demonstrate that modest, consistent
exercise and a healthy diet can curtail the risk of type 2 diabetes in
individuals by nearly 60 percent. This information provides
great hope in our efforts to reduce the incidence of diabetes and
creates a renewed sense of urgency to ensure that all Americans are
aware of practical steps that can be taken to reduce their risk for
diabetes.
My Administration is strongly committed to fighting diabetes both
by working in cooperation with dedicated staff and volunteers of
private organizations to develop strong public education programs and
by increased Federal funding for medical research. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes
of Health (NIH) have established the National Diabetes Education
Program (NDEP) to help familiarize Americans with the risks of diabetes
and what can be done to minimize its complications. The
NDEP will also offer practical information about preventing the
cardiovascular complications of diabetes through the campaign, "Be
Smart About Your Heart: The ABCs of Diabetes." Medical
research is providing exciting advances in our prevention and treatment
strategies for diabetes, and my fiscal year 2002 budget reflects a
significant increase in funding to continue the valuable diabetes
research programs at the NIH.
I am confident that our Nation's health care professionals, nurses,
scientists, educators, and volunteers will continue to provide quality
care to those who currently suffer from diabetes, and, through their
work, we will one day find a cure for this terrible
disease. On the observance of National Diabetes Month, we
honor those who are working diligently to advance our knowledge and
understanding of diabetes. We also recognize the value of
educating ourselves about health risks and the importance of healthy
lifestyle habits.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2001 as
National Diabetes Month. I call on all Americans to increase
their awareness of the risk factors and symptoms related to diabetes
and to observe this month with appropriate activities and programs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth
day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-sixth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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