Special section on diabetes

Ebony, March, 1997 by James R. Gavin, III

This past year has seen the realization of a long-standing hope of mine in the many years of my involvement as a national volunteer with the American Diabetes Association. The Association, in partnership with various groups and agencies in the public and private sector, launched the African American Program, a national public awareness and education program about diabetes that is designed to develop a grassroots approach to informing our community about the dangers of this disease and ways to prevent and reduce its complications. There is a great deal of evidence to suggest that our community needs this kind of information and awareness to stem a rising tide of disease among us.

The focus of this section highlights important issues in women's health. There is compelling urgency to empower African-American women with the ability to manage and avoid diabetes since this disease takes such a disproportionate toll in this group. We salute and acknowledge the profound impact that the public disclosure of Ms. Patti LaBelle about her diabetes has had on the African-American community. Her partnership in our national effort has been a source of inspiration and courage to thousands who have sought refuge in denial.

We are especially grateful to Ebony magazine for helping to get out the message that diabetes is a disease about which you can do a lot. I can assure you that much of the momentum that the African American Program has enjoyed over the past year is directly a consequence of the coverage provided by Ebony last year. We had hundreds of responses and inquiries, and enlisted many additional volunteers. Most importantly, we received many calls and letters Of thanks, because so many people came to an awareness about diabetes that they never had before. Many indicated that they had begun to change some things to reduce their risks and to better control their disease. That is what we hope to achieve. It is clear that good information is an essential step in empowerment, and that is why the enthusiastic support of this program and this informative section of Ebony are so important.

Singer-actress Patti laBelle is known to millions of fans for her motivational music and a powerful voice. In her recently published autobiography she describes her 30-year rise from humble beginnings to "superstardom." During an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show last fall, she also described her personal battle with a life-threatening disease common to many African Americans -- diabetes.

LaBelle is one of millions of African-Americans who not only have diabetes, but can trace a family history of the condition as well. While the diva remembers both an uncle and aunt having diabetes, what she remembers most is watching her mother suffer from one of the diseases most tragic complications that led to her mothers ending up having "both legs amputated and dying after that."

Right now, nearly 3 million African-Americans in the United States have diabetes, a situation that's reaching near-epidemic proportions. Unfortunately, half of those with the disease are unaware that they have it. While this devastating illness is the fourth-leading cause of death by disease in America, it is the leading cause of blindness, non-traumatic amputation and kidney disease, all complications that disproportionately affect our people. To make matters worse, the rate of diagnosed diabetes in the African-American community has tripled over the past 30 years, with no decrease in sight.

After being diagnosed with diabetes, labelle did what many people do when treating a disease with "silent symptoms." She stopped taking her medicine after her blood sugar showed some initial improvement and nearly lapsed into a diabetic coma.

After this scare, Patti developed "a new attitude," which included paying better attention to her diet and exercise routine and taking her medicine as prescribed. About the seriousness of diabetes, she commented, "We'd better stop being in the closet about it. Diabetes can take you out of here if you don't control it."

In the African-American community, Patti Labelle is a member of the group most adversely affected by diabetes: African-American women. This silent but deadly killer is 2 to 2 1/2 times more likely to develop in African-American women over the age of 55. One in four in this category has the disease. Though it is not fully understood why African-American women experience the wrath of diabetes more than other groups, physicians are aware of several contributing factors, specifically obesity, eating foods high in fat and lack of regular exercise. The National Center for Health Statistics found that nearly 50 percent of Black women are considered overweight, compared to only 33 percent of White women. Last year, in response to these alarming trends, the American Diabetes Association officially launched its African American Program in 20 states across the country. Getting the word out about the increasing need for diabetes education was accomplished, in part, by an aggressive media relations campaign, which at last count, reached more than 50 million people through radio, television and newspaper coverage. By years end, the program had been expanded to include 8 additional states, with others expressing interest in participating in 1997.