Diabetes Action has provided grants to over 300 separate research studies at universities and medical institutions across the United States. In addition to funding basic research to cure diabetes with gene therapies and beta cell transplantation, Diabetes Action funds research that examines how nutritional and complementary therapies may prevent and treat diabetes. Diabetes Action has funded innovative studies that include:
Cure of type 1 diabetes using a generic drug Dr. Faustman, Massachusetts General Hospital
Cinnamon and chromium antioxidant studies USDA Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center
Wheat Gluten as a Trigger in type 1 Diabetes Virginia Tech
Antioxidants to improve islet cell graft function UCLA
T cell vaccination to prevent type 1 diabetes Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Antioxidants to prevent diabetic complications University of California, San Francisco
B vitamins to treat hyperhomocysteinemia University of California, Davis
Nutritional approaches to improve beta cell function Joslin Diabetes Center
Acupuncture for treating neuropathy Harvard Medical School
Chromium with Metformin Study Bastyr/Washington State University
Topics have included "Cinnamon Improves Risk Factors for Diabetes", "Current Management of Diabetes", "The Anti-Inflammatory Diet", "Essential Herbs for Diabetes", and "Complementary Medicine in Diabetes".
Dr. Richard Anderson discusses his research on cinnamon and diabetes
American Indian Diabetes Prevention Program
With the assistance of a grant from the Lowenstein Foundation, Diabetes Action is currently funding a diabetes prevention program with the Cheyenne River Youth Project® in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.
Currently, up to 40% of the youth on this reservation are at risk for diabetes. Children as young as 8 years old already have conditions such as elevated blood pressure, arterial plaque, enlarged hearts, metabolic syndrome, and other inflammatory indicators. Some older youths are already in need of kidney dialysis treatment and have visual and neurological complications as a result of type 2 diabetes.
This program is empowering local youth to prevent diabetes through wellness initiatives such as nutrition education, food preparation, fitness programs, and organic gardening.
International Relief
Medical
facilities in Thailand were inundated with patients in 2011 after Thailand
experienced its worst flooding since 1942. Millions of Thai residents were at
risk of waterborne diseases spreading through contaminated floodwater, and many
patients were treated at local hospitals for leptospirosis, a bacterial
infection spread in contaminated water.
In 2012, Diabetes Action was able to send over 1.5 million dollars of
medical supplies to the Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok with a capacity of over
2000 beds and more than 1.5 million outpatient visits yearly. Siriraj is the
largest public hospital in Thailand and is the primary teaching hospital of the
Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University where the Medical
School accepts about 250 medical students and over 100 postgraduate residency
training programs each year.
On Feb. 16, 2013 The Hainan Association of
Washington, D.C. presented President Pat DeVoe a plaque in recognition of
Diabetes Action’s “generous donation of medical supplies for the disadvantaged
in Thailand in 2009 and 2012” in the presence of Saroj Thanasunti, Minister and
Deputy Chief of Mission of the Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Send a Kid to Diabetes Camp
Diabetes Action funding provides scholarships to enable children with diabetes to attend 58 summer camps in 50 states across America. These special diabetes camp programs nurture self-esteem and self-reliance by offering a support system that is not available in any other setting. Camp activities and nutrition are carefully coordinated with the special needs of the campers.
By attending camp, children learn diabetes management and develop active lifestyle habits that will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Many children report that their time spent at summer camp is the only time when they feel that others understand them and what it means to cope with diabetes.
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