When Is World Diabetes Day? - 2023, Virtual Office

When Is World Diabetes Day
World Diabetes Day | United Nations Globally, an estimated 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014, compared to 108 million in 1980. The global prevalence of diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980, rising from 4.7% to 8.5% in the adult population.

This reflects an increase in associated risk factors such as being overweight or obese.
Over the past decade, diabetes prevalence has risen faster in low and middle-income countries than in high-income countries.
Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and lower limb amputation.

Healthy diet, physical activity and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. In addition diabetes can be treated and its consequences avoided or delayed with medication, regular screening and treatment for complications. In 2007 General Assembly adopted resolution designating 14 November as World Diabetes Day.

What day is National diabetes Day?

14 November is World Diabetes Day Established in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation with support from WHO in response to growing concerns about the health and economic threat posed by diabetes, World Diabetes Day became an official UN day in 2006.

What is the theme for World Diabetes Day 2022?

About World Diabetes Day Every November 14, World Diabetes Day is commemorated, which is an opportunity to raise awareness about the impact of diabetes on the health of people. It also seeks to highlight the opportunities to strengthen the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes.

This year, the theme is “Education to Protect Tomorrow”.
PAHO calls on the need to strengthen access to quality education on diabetes both for the health team and for people living with diabetes, their caregivers, and society in general.
This year, PAHO will present the Panorama of Diabetes in the Americas, a new technical report that integrates data from various sources on key indicators for the Region, including mortality from diabetes, its prevalence, and national responses to this disease.

It also addresses critical issues of our time, such as the relationship between diabetes and COVID-19, diabetes in indigenous populations, and access to insulin 100 years after its discovery. Why is diabetes important? + Worldwide, the number of people living with diabetes ( PLWD) has increased from 108 million to 420 million in the last thirty years; 62 million people with diabetes are in the Region of the Americas.

This number has increased over three-fold in the Region since 1980 and could be even higher since 40% of PLWD are unaware of their condition and undiagnosed. The burden of disease associated with diabetes is enormous and growing: in just 20 years, mortality from diabetes has increased by 70% worldwide.

In the Region of the Americas, it is the sixth leading cause of death and the seventh leading cause of years of life lost prematurely. In the Region, diabetes (including diabetes-related kidney disease) causes the loss due to premature death of more than eight million years of life each year.

Nearly half of premature deaths in the Americas are due to diabetes. In just 20 years, the number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to diabetes increased by 88%. This increase reaches 97% in men. Diabetes is currently the second leading cause of DALYs, preceded only by ischemic heart disease.

People living with diabetes are at higher risk of severe illness and death from other diseases:

Diabetes is among the top five health-related risk factors for tuberculosis. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people ages 40 to 74 years. Depression is twice as common in PLWD than in those without diabetes. The stress and anxiety produced by living with diabetes negatively impact the disease’s evolution due to insufficient self-care, lack of adherence to treatment, and episodes of hypo or hyperglycemia. People living with diabetes have up to three times the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, or cancer. People living with diabetes have double the risk of developing a severe condition and of dying from COVID-19.

Keeping blood glucose levels well controlled lowers the risk of severe illness or death; unfortunately, 50% to 70% of PLWD have uncontrolled blood glucose levels. Why is it difficult to control diabetes? + The expansive increase in the diabetes epidemic goes hand in hand with the rise in its risk factors.

The Americas is the most overweight/obese and physically inactive region in the world: 63 out of 100 adults are overweight or obese, and 39 out of 100 people have insufficient physical activity.
The increase in risk factors for diabetes is alarming in children and adolescents.
Thirty-two out of 100 adolescents and 36 out of 100 children are overweight or obese, while 81 out of 100 adolescents engage in insufficient physical activity.

People living with diabetes face different barriers to accessing health care:

Treatment for diabetes and its complications can be costly and often requires high out-of-pocket expenses. Insulin is crucial to sustaining the lives of people with type 1 diabetes and many with type 2 diabetes. In many countries, diabetes care is not included in universal health coverage, and there are gaps in primary health care services and access to other care levels.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected access to diabetes health services. Despite the association between diabetes and COVID-19 and the need for continuous and uninterrupted care for people living with the disease, in many countries, COVID-19 preparedness and response plans do not include services for diabetes.

Prevention of diabetes and its risk factors, especially overweight/obesity and insufficient physical activity. Screening for diabetes in the general population and closely monitoring the population at risk. Improving the diagnostic capacity of health services for diabetes. Continuous monitoring of people living with diabetes. The capacity for referral and care at the secondary health care level. Access to quality diabetes education, which guarantees adequate training for the healthcare team, people living with diabetes, their immediate environment, their caregivers, and society in general. Access to essential diabetes medicines and technologies, including insulin. Information systems for data collection for monitoring and surveillance of diabetes.

The change caused by the COVID-19 pandemic makes it essential to integrate evidence-based digital solutions, such as telemedicine and educational and monitoring applications in diabetes health care. Diabetes care should be part of preparedness and response to health emergencies.

The HEARTS–D technical package: Diagnosis and management of type 2 diabetes. The WHO package of essential noncommunicable (PEN) disease interventions for primary health care. The Health Technology Manual: Improving the Integrated Management of Chronic Diseases at the First Level of Health Care Services The Passport to Healthy Lifestyle. The technical document “Best buys” for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. The PAHO Strategic Fund can help countries increase access to and availability of essential medicines, including insulin and other diabetes medicines and technologies.

The Global Diabetes Compact aims to support countries in the development, implementation, and evaluation of cost-effective programs that reduce the risk of diabetes and guarantee that all people who require it have access to diabetes care that is quality, equitable, comprehensive, and affordable. Events and webinars Launch the “Panorama of Diabetes in the Americas” Participate in the webinar to launch the “Panorama of Diabetes in the Americas” Friday, November 11, 2022, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm (EST), held by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to mark World Diabetes Day 2022 This virtual meeting will introduce the Panorama of Diabetes in the Americas, a technical report developed by PAHO’s Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (NMH), which integrates data and updated information on the status of diabetes in the region. WHO Global Diabetes Compact: World Diabetes Day Webinar The World Health Organization is hosting a webinar to mark World Diabetes Day, on 14 November 2022. The session will be in English. La sesión será en inglés. The event will address the Global Diabetes Compact, a new initiative to galvanize efforts around the world to both reduce the risk of diabetes and ensure that all people diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care.

Why is World Diabetes Day celebrated on 14th November?

World Diabetes Day has been celebrated on 14th November every year since its launching year in 1991. The reason for observing World Diabetes Day on this date is because of the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best and John James Rickard Macleod in 1922.

What Colour is diabetes day?

The blue circle is the global symbol for diabetes awareness and the logo of World Diabetes Day. There are many ways you can help promote the global symbol of diabetes awareness:

Wear blue for diabetes Wear the blue circle pin or bracelet – available to buy here Persuade a Member of Parliament, celebrity, or high-profile individual in your community to wear the blue circle pin. Don’t forget to get a picture, keeping in mind any physical distancing measures in placePromote the blue circle selfie app Include the blue circle in all of your correspondence and promotional materialsUse the blue circle as your profile picture on FacebookFind a great profile picture on Facebook and use our frame to promote the blue circle!

What color is for diabetes awareness?

Diabetes Awareness Blue Diabetes Circle Awareness. The awareness ribbon color for Diabetes was gray, however more commonly diabetes is now symbolized by the blue circle, as designated by the International Diabetes Federation.

Why is blue for diabetes?

I can’t quite remember who asked me, but in front of San Francisco City Hall last Friday evening, during our World Diabetes Day celebrations, somebody pointed to my pin and asked, “Why the blue circle, anyway? What does that mean ?” They also wanted to know why the logo didn’t have the world “diabetes” stamped across it: ” Who’s going to recognize that this stands for diabetes?! ” For goodness’ sake, it’s supposed to be like the ubiquitous pink ribbon for breast cancer, red ribbon for AIDS, or yellow ribbon for bring-home-the-troops.

Setting the issue of why it’s blue and a circle aside for a moment, can’t we all agree that a symbol that speaks for itself is better than having to pin the word “DIABETES” on your lapel? I was especially surprised to discover that folks from the local chapter of the ADA (American Diabetes Association) weren’t at all familiar with the blue circle campaign.

I sort of forgave them for it last year, since it was still very new then, but now I’m thinking that that group — and this country at large, which doesn’t play up World Diabetes Day a fraction as much as the rest of the world — may be suffering from some classic ” not invented here syndrome,” When you go to the ADA’s website right now, for example, you see “American Diabetes Month,” but nada on WDD.

I hereby proclaim this Call to Action for next year’s WDD: Let’s do it up, right, America! And that means you, ADA! And that means you, Mainstream Media! This awareness campaign is gaining traction, with the likes of T1 rockstar Nick Jonas on board, but it seems like we have a long way to go to catch up with the Brits, the Germans, or the Australians, for example.

And now for the Why Blue ? And Why a Circle ? I know from my previous research that this symbol was the brainchild of Kari Rosenfeld of the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) and her daughter Clare back in 2006, when the IDF was campaigning for United Nations Resolution on diabetes (which they got, btw.) The blue color is meant to evoke the color of the sky, and the circle is a symbol of unity.

You can now read the official explanation of the international “Unite for Diabetes” symbol here : “The colour blue reflects the sky that unites all nations and is the colour of the United Nations flag. The blue circle signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.” And also, from the IDF on “What’s with the blue circle?” “A simple blue circle because of the circle’s frequent occurrence in nature and because myriad cultures over time have used the circle to symbolize life, mother earth and health.

The unbreakable unity it represents mirrors the global diabetes community ” How beautiful. Let’s get even more unbreakable next year, K?

Is diabetes considered a disability?

Webinars – The American Diabetes Association has presented two free webinars on the changes made by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008. The first webinar, in February 2009, focused on the statute itself, while the second, in April 2011, focused on the new regulations implementing the statutory changes. Both webinars are available for viewing at the links below.

The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act Regulations: Expert Analysis with a Focus on Workers with Diabetes (April 2011) Building on Our Victories: Diabetes and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (April 2009)

Demonstrating Coverage under the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 for People with Diabetes (PDF) (updated January 2014) This article explains how to prove that a person with diabetes qualifies as a person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act using the new legal standards included in the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 and the EEOC regulations adopted in 2011 to implement that law.

It contains both a detailed discussion of the science of diabetes and its management, and an explanation of how to use this science to demonstrate coverage under the ADA.
Background Materials on Diabetes and Functional Limitations for Lawyers Handling Diabetes Discrimination Cases (PDF) (Shereen Arent, JD, and Brian Dimmick, JD) (December 2008) This article explains how to prove that a person with diabetes qualifies as a person with a disability under disability discrimination laws, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act prior to its amendment in 2008.

It begins with a discussion of the science of diabetes and then discusses how diabetes and its management can substantially limit specific major life activities. Proving Diabetes is a Disability (PDF) (Brian East, JD – Advocacy, inc.) (April 2007) This article provides a detailed survey of which individuals are covered by federal disability discrimination laws, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act prior to its amendment in 2008.

It discusses leading decisions dealing with a wide range of disabilities, and also highlights key diabetes cases.A version of this paper was presented at the Fourteenth Annual Convention of the National Employment Lawyers Association in June 2003. Both “Too Sick and Not Sick Enough”: Building on ADA Decisions Involving Plaintiffs with Diabetes (PDF) (Daniel B.

Kohrman, JD, AARP Foundation Litigation) (June 2007) This article discusses, with extensive examples from relevant case law, the Catch-22 that can be fatal to disability discrimination plaintiffs with diabetes under the law as it existed prior to the ADA Amendments Act of 2008: being too sick to be a qualified employee, but not sick enough to qualify for protection from disability discrimination under the law.

Who discovered diabetes?

Abstract – Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases involving carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism. It is characterized by persistent hyperglycemia which results from defects in insulin secretion, or action or both. Diabetes mellitus has been known since antiquity.

Descriptions have been found in the Egyptian papyri, in ancient Indian and Chinese medical literature, as well as, in the work of ancient Greek and Arab physicians. In the 2 nd century AD Aretaeus of Cappadocia provided the first accurate description of diabetes, coining the term diabetes, while in 17 th century Thomas Willis added the term mellitus to the disease, in an attempt to describe the extremely sweet taste of the urine.

The important work of the 19 th century French physiologist Claude Bernard, on the glycogenic action of the liver, paved the way for further progress in the study of the disease. In 1889, Oskar Minkowski and Joseph von Mering performed their famous experiment of removing the pancreas from a dog and producing severe and fatal diabetes.

In 1921, Frederick Banting and Charles Best extended Minkowski’s and Mering’s experiment.
They isolated insulin from pancreatic islets and administrated to patients suffering from type 1 diabetes, saving thus the lives of millions and inaugurating a new era in diabetes treatment.
Eywords: History of endocrinology, Metabolic disorder, Diabetes mellitus, Aretaeus of Cappadocia, Insulin Core tip: Diabetes mellitus has been known since antiquity and despite therapeutic advances it still remains an incurable chronic disease.

In our historical article, we attempt to provide the most important steps in the history of diabetes mellitus from antiquity till nowadays. The contribution of leading medical figures such as Aretaeus of Cappadocia, Thomas Willis, Claude Bernard, Oskar Minkowski, Joseph von Mering, Frederick Banting and Charles Best is mentioned, in an attempt to highlight the development of our current knowledge in diabetes mellitus.

When did diabetes get its name?

Excerpt – Diabetes mellitus is taken from the Greek word diabetes, meaning siphon – to pass through and the Latin word mellitus meaning sweet. A review of the history shows that the term “diabetes” was first used by Apollonius of Memphis around 250 to 300 BC.

Ancient Greek, Indian, and Egyptian civilizations discovered the sweet nature of urine in this condition, and hence the propagation of the word Diabetes Mellitus came into being.
Mering and Minkowski, in 1889, discovered the role of the pancreas in the pathogenesis of diabetes.
In 1922 Banting, Best, and Collip purified the hormone insulin from the pancreas of cows at the University of Toronto, leading to the availability of an effective treatment for diabetes in 1922.

Over the years, exceptional work has taken place, and multiple discoveries, as well as management strategies, have been created to tackle this growing problem. Unfortunately, even today, diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the country and worldwide.

In the US, it remains as the seventh leading cause of death. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease, involving inappropriately elevated blood glucose levels. DM has several categories, including type 1, type 2, maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), gestational diabetes, neonatal diabetes, and secondary causes due to endocrinopathies, steroid use, etc.

The main subtypes of DM are Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which classically result from defective insulin secretion (T1DM) and/or action (T2DM). T1DM presents in children or adolescents, while T2DM is thought to affect middle-aged and older adults who have prolonged hyperglycemia due to poor lifestyle and dietary choices.

What age do diabetes start?

Healthy eating is your recipe for managing diabetes. More than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45, but more and more children, teens, and young adults are also developing it.

Is there a type 1 diabetes day?

Celebrate the T1D Community for National Diabetes Awareness Month – Desert West Chapter When Is World Diabetes Day November is National Diabetes Awareness Month (NDAM)! During the month of November, people all over the country team up to spread awareness about diabetes and highlight the urgent need to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its complications.

The need for awareness and education on T1D is more important than ever. Who better than the T1D community to make sure that this disease is properly recognized in November and throughout the year? Bringing attention to diabetes throughout the month not only helps to bring more understanding to a very misunderstood disease but it can also help to bring in more funding for essential research and support for important legislative issues facing the T1D community.

During the month of November, show the world that you are the #PowerofUs ! Share with our Power of Us photo filter found in the link below and #PowerofUs hashtag on social media. November 14 th is World Diabetes Day! This year’s theme is the Nurse and Diabetes which spotlights the important role nurses play in diabetes care and management.

Download a social media graphic found in the link below and share a story of a nurse or school nurse who has made a difference in your life or your loved one’s life.
Close out NDAM with Giving Tuesday on December 1, 2020 by downloading a social media graphic also found in link below and encourage your community to make a gift to JDRF during this annual day of giving to advance our mission of a world with T1D.

To learn more about JDRF Power of Us campaign and other initiatives, please visit, : Celebrate the T1D Community for National Diabetes Awareness Month – Desert West Chapter

Can diabetes be cured soon?

Is there a cure for type 1 diabetes? – In type 1 diabetes, insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas are destroyed by the immune system. This means you can’t make the insulin you need to live. To stop type 1 diabetes we need to disrupt the immune system’s attack on beta cells.

What is the diabetic symbol?

The blue circle. The blue circle is the universal symbol for diabetes. It was introduced in 2006 to give diabetes a common identity.

What color is blood sugar?

There are 3 different colors that your blood glucose readings can be displayed in: RED – the blood glucose reading falls below your target blood glucose range. GREEN – the blood glucose reading falls within your target blood glucose range. ORANGE – the blood glucose reading falls above your target blood glucose range.

What race is common for diabetes?

You’ve likely heard the warning: If you don’t watch your diet and exercise regularly, you’re raising your risk for type 2 diabetes as well as prediabetes. What you may not know is that ethnicity also plays a major role. That’s right. African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and some Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans are all at higher risk for type 2 diabetes than Caucasians, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Chef Daniel Thomas helped his dad, Weldon, overcome prediabetes using these nutritious tips, including this berry that can make your snacks work for you. Until recently, researchers couldn’t make sense of it. They believed that genes were to blame — meaning people of certain races were simply destined to develop diabetes — but a study published in 2017, in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), suggests that’s not the case. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Join Now “Far and away, the leading factor for type 2 diabetes appears to be obesity,” says study coauthor Mercedes Carnethon, professor and vice chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

“Factors we collectively refer to as the social determinants of health — our financial resources, access to health care, level of education and the neighborhoods we live in — all of these contribute to the development of obesity and common complications of being overweight, such as diabetes.” Consider the consequences of living in a community that doesn’t have easy access to health care, nutritious foods or spaces that lend themselves to physical activity.

“These things lead people to make choices that result in a higher risk of obesity,” says Carnethon. “That’s really what drives the disparities in the development of diabetes among ethnic groups.” Now for the encouraging part. There’s plenty you can do, no matter your race, to reduce your risk of developing diabetes,

Are diabetics color blind?

How Colour Blindness is Linked to Type 2 Diabetes If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, you may be at risk of developing colour blindness. Although only a small percentage of people worldwide are born with colour blindness (colour vision impairment), a local study has found a link between this eye condition and type 2 diabetes.

Researchers found that age and the duration of diabetes are factors associated with colour blindness — a condition where patients cannot see the correct colour of things, and their life and work are affected by it. The study by SingHealth Polyclinics and Singapore Polytechnic revealed that colour blindness affects 22.3 percent of people with type 2 diabetes.

Those who have had the illness for six years or more have a higher incidence of colour blindness. The risk increases with each year that patients suffer from the condition. As the incidence of diabetes is expected to rise in the future, so may the number of people with colour blindness, said Dr Tan Ngiap Chuan, Director, Research, SingHealth Polyclinics, who led the research with Ms Samasri Kallakuri, Lecturer, Singapore Polytechnic.

“Diabetes makes people more prone to eye diseases. It can damage the retina and cause blood vessels to bleed, which is the main cause of blindness in Singapore. But little has been done to understand how it contributes to colour blindness,” said Dr Tan, who is also Academic Vice Chair (Research), SingHealth Duke-NUS Family Medicine Academic Clinical Programme.

It was also found that people with poorer vision are more prone to this eye problem. “Interestingly, ethnicity, gender and employment were not significant factors associated with colour blindness. There was also no association with hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary, cerebrovascular and renal diseases,” he said.

About 850 people aged 21 to 80, from different ethnic groups, who had diabetes for at least two years, took part in the study at Pasir Ris Polyclinic from 2013 to 2015. Researchers collected data on the duration of type 2 diabetes and its complications and treatment, blood pressure, weight, body mass index and demographic and medical profiles.

Participants also underwent tests for oral glucose tolerance, glycated haemoglobin and fasting lipid profiles. The next thing for researchers is to explore if a simple colour screening test can be incorporated into the primary health screening process, particularly of diabetes patients, because early detection is key to managing it.

Patients are currently screened with a Farnsworth D-15 instrument where they have to arrange 15 coloured discs onto numbered caps, in a graduated sequence of closely matching hues, to form a circular diagram.
An abnormally arranged diagram would indicate which type of colour blindness they have.
Dr Tan said that ultimately, the take-home message is to live a healthy lifestyle and try and prevent diabetes as far as possible.

“If you already have diabetes, then you have to manage it properly to prevent the onset of colour blindness,” he added. Read these next:

Diabetes and Heart Disease

This article was last reviewed on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 726 Diabetes and Colour Blindness

Is June 27th a diabetes day?

By Dr. Mark Hinkes, DPM On June 27, 1991, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed the first World Diabetes Day. Today, World Diabetes Day is celebrated worldwide as an acknowledgement of the condition, symptoms, complications, treatment and resolve to find a cure for the disease.

Participants in the celebration include 230 member associations of the International Diabetes Federation in more than 160 countries and territories.
All Member States of the United Nations as well as other associations and organizations, companies, health care professionals and people living with diabetes and their families also observe World Diabetes Day.

World Diabetes day will be celebrated on Friday, November 14th this year.

What color blue is for diabetes?

I hereby proclaim this Call to Action for next year’s WDD: Let’s do it up, right, America! And that means you, ADA! And that means you, Mainstream Media! This awareness campaign is gaining traction, with the likes of T1 rockstar Nick Jonas on board, but it seems like we have a long way to go to catch up with the Brits, the Germans, or the Australians, for example.

You can now read the official explanation of the international “Unite for Diabetes” symbol here : “The colour blue reflects the sky that unites all nations and is the colour of the United Nations flag.
The blue circle signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.” And also, from the IDF on “What’s with the blue circle?” “A simple blue circle because of the circle’s frequent occurrence in nature and because myriad cultures over time have used the circle to symbolize life, mother earth and health.

The unbreakable unity it represents mirrors the global diabetes community ” How beautiful. Let’s get even more unbreakable next year, K?

Is there a type 1 diabetes day?

The need for awareness and education on T1D is more important than ever.
Who better than the T1D community to make sure that this disease is properly recognized in November and throughout the year? Bringing attention to diabetes throughout the month not only helps to bring more understanding to a very misunderstood disease but it can also help to bring in more funding for essential research and support for important legislative issues facing the T1D community.

Download a social media graphic found in the link below and share a story of a nurse or school nurse who has made a difference in your life or your loved one’s life.
Close out NDAM with Giving Tuesday on December 1, 2020 by downloading a social media graphic also found in link below and encourage your community to make a gift to JDRF during this annual day of giving to advance our mission of a world with T1D.

To learn more about JDRF Power of Us campaign and other initiatives, please visit, : Celebrate the T1D Community for National Diabetes Awareness Month – Desert West Chapter