– but commitment guarantees success

DIABETES is one of the leading non-communicable diseases across the globe and studies have confirmed that it disturbs the lives of many women and men. It is the kind of disease that can affect every part of the human body – from the eyes to the feet.

Guyana Diabetic Association
‘Managing your diabetes’, the term used in some quarters is the only way out. Diabetes is a serious disease – there is no room for joking around with it.
In last weekend’s issue on the topic: ‘Living a happy, productive life with diabetes’ we saw how Glynis Olonzo-Beaton, who was first diagnosed at the age of 22, has been living with Type 1 diabetes for the past 27 years.

Alonzo-Beaton can be described as a great fighter – not only for herself but others as well. She has been the President of the Guyana Diabetic Association for a number of years; representative on the Board of the Caribbean Diabetic Association; and the Chair of the North American Caribbean Region (NAC) for the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), which is the voice of diabetes internationally.

The IDF has been leading the global diabetes community since 1950, representing the interests of over 230 national diabetes associations in 170 countries and territories the growing number of people with diabetes within its ambit.

According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas Eighth Edition, an estimated 45.9 million adults aged 20-29 years were living with diabetes in the IDF NAC region in 2017, representing a regional prevalence of 13 per cent, the highest of all IDF regions. Over one-third (37.6 per cent) of adults living with diabetes are undiagnosed. The vast majority (83.2 per cent) of adults with diabetes in the region live in urban areas.

GDA YOUNG LEADERS
The Young Leaders in Diabetes Guyana was formed in January 2016 with the aim of helping type one diabetics to better manage their illness. So far the youth arm has been taking great measures to educate the general public on this autoimmune disease known as Type 1diabetes. They have ventured out into numerous health reach programmes and exhibitions through the country helping to inform people.

WOMEN AND DIABETES
World Diabetes Day 2017, with its theme being ‘Women and Diabetes,’ brought out statistics that one out of 10 women are living with diabetes today, with the disease being the ninth leading cause of death in women globally, causing some 2.1 million deaths each year. In other words, studies have been indicating that more women than men are now more at risk of acquiring this disease.

Not surprising, women are at the forefront of this battle against diabetes, like with some other diseases in Guyana. Alonzo-Beaton, at the helm of the Guyana Diabetic Association (GDA), is seen by many as a mighty woman in the fight against diabetes, especially for her women folk, but also for men. She said of herself: “…so for me, I live and eat, sleep and dream diabetes.”

PUTTING UP AN ‘EDUCATED’FIGHT
“I talk it means that I have got to do it, so that’s the impetus to keep on full management,” says Alonzo-Beaton of the GDA, as she explained that her talking about diabetes helps her a lot because the more she has to talk about it the more committed she feels to do what she advises. At this stage, she cautioned that while exercise is very important, people must be careful not to over-exercise since it can turn out to be very dangerous – “your heart can give out,” she said.

Alonzo-Beaton said that as head of the GDA she has partnered with other international diabetic associations, “and so I get insulin free; I get strips free and I get machines free, so I always give machines and strips to members of the GDA.

“We encourage people to come and join so that they can have it. We can’t just go and willy-nilly do it because of the charges and expenses associated with it.”
To become a registered member of the Guyana Diabetic Association (GDA) costs G$1500 and G$500 for the monthly dues, after which members are given some needed products free, Alonzo-Beaton said.

The insulin is all of a high-ending quality. “So you have Lantus, Trulicity, Tresiba, Levemir – those are very expensive types of insulin, but the advantage to expensive insulin is that it manages your condition and you have complications and as such it is a cheaper insulin – it’s going to be initially expensive, but it is going to be cheaper in the long-term,” she said.

TYPE 1 CHILDREN
The GDA ensures that strips and insulin are given to the Type 1 children free. There are doctors and pharmacists associated to the GDA, as well as Ansa McAl, GPC, there are constant exhibitions – “We do everything to help a diabetic because a diabetic is not like a cancer patient who can easily say, ‘I am a cancer-survivor’, we will never be survivors, we will die of the complications…you cannot be a diabetic survivor; It is not associated with diabetes,” she said.

She, however, said that people can live a happy, healthy life by keeping away from excess sweet, alcohol and smoking, which is a sure contributory factor for diabetes.
Alonzo-Beaton said that diabetes is burdensome to manage by itself, but the complications are always much more burdensome to manage. She insisted that every diabetic should have a glucometer (to measure diabetes /sugar level) at home.

CAN DIABETES BE REVERSED?
However, studies have shown that with a fervent commitment to manage diabetes individuals can begin to see improvements in their health and a receding of the diabetic condition. Efforts are worth the while and patients are encouraged to put up a fight – with their healthcare provider(s), which may include the doctor, diabetic nurse, diabetic educator, and dietitian, along with the support of family and friends.

Additionally, patients with Type 1 diabetes, who are carefully managed, may also be able to greatly reduce drug and insulin dosages while lowering blood sugar.
Keeping the blood pressure and cholesterol under control; eating a healthy, reduced-fat diet and exercising regularly can go a long way toward controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as the blood sugar.

In the effective management of diabetes, regularly scheduled physicals and eye exams – possibly four per year, in addition to yearly physical and routine eye exams should be part of the plan.

Vaccines for tetanus, flu, pneumonia, hepatitis B and other vaccines should always be up-to-date, according to recommendations in studies done for diabetics. It is said that people with diabetes are more likely to get certain illnesses, which also include gum and feet infections, these routine vaccines and checks can help prevent. (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)