(Editorial - Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

With each month comes a new designated awareness, as advocates seize the opportunity to inform people in new and creative ways. Though it can be hard to keep track, the tactic is a good one. If, for example, there is an uptick in those seeking the various means of screening for cancers after October, the effort is well worth it.

Important, too — particularly for Mid-Ohio Valley residents — is November’s Diabetes Awareness Month. According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 16% of West Virginians have diabetes, while approximately 12.6% of Ohioans are diabetic.

But those are just the patients who are aware of their condition. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says approximately 38 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, but one in five of those people do not know they have it.

“Diabetes happens when your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it as it should,” said Malcolm Lanham, community health director for the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department. “When there isn’t enough insulin or your body stops responding to the insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your blood and over time can cause serious health issues like heart disease, kidney disease and vision loss.”

There are two different kinds of diabetes: Type 1, in which a person’s body does not produce insulin, perhaps because of an autoimmune reaction; and Type 2, in which a body doesn’t use insulin well and cannot properly control blood sugar levels.

Understanding the symptoms and risk factors is essential, as is getting screened. Find out more here: www.cdc.gov/diabetes/.

While lifestyle changes such as eating healthy, exercising and losing weight can make a difference, there is no substitute for coming up with a plan with your doctor. Whether that be a plan for prevention, assessing symptoms and risks, screening or a plan for living with diabetes, start the conversation.