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On 25 Jun 2001, at 23:20, Dolores wrote: > Mary Tyler Moore appeared on Larry King's program (9pm est) > on CNN tonight. Hi Dolores, MTM was on Good Morning America this AM too... Actress Mary Tyler Moore has been living with Type 1 diabetes for more than 30 years. (ABCNEWS.com) Young Diabetics March On Kids with Diabetes Head to D.C. for Help W A S H I N G T O N, June 25 — Each day in the U.S., 35 children are diagnosed with a mysterious disease that will change their lives forever — Type 1 diabetes. There is currently no cure for Type 1 diabetes, which strikes indiscriminately across lines of gender, race and age. Two-hundred diabetic children are on a pilgrimage to Capitol Hill to ask lawmakers to increase funds for diabetes research. Mary Tyler Moore, who has suffered with Type 1 diabetes for more than 30 years, is leading the group. Moore is the Chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International's Children's Congress 2000, which is being held all this week. Kids and Stars Testify Selected child delegates will testify at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, June 26. They will be in good company with Moore and other celebrity advocates including Academy Award winning actor Kevin Kline, who has a diabetic child. Sixteen million Americans have diabetes and roughly 1 million of them have Type 1 diabetes, which requires daily insulin injections because the body isn't making enough insulin or can't use its own insulin adequately. Insulin helps deliver glucose, which we get from food we eat, into the cells of the body to create energy. People with Type 1 diabetes must test their blood sugar four or more times a day by pricking their fingers for blood, and inject insulin to regulate their blood sugar levels. Moore has had Type 1 diabetes for more than 30 years, and she has been Chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International for 16 years. She told ABCNEWS' Good Morning America that many people are confused about Type 1 diabetes and what it means for those who suffer with it. "There is a mistaken idea even among well-informed people that insulin is a cure," said Moore. "But it isn't, it merely keeps you alive." Stem cell research, though controversial, can greatly help diabetes patients, and her efforts on Capitol Hill will focus on it, she said. The group will focus on convincing President Bush of the importance of stem cell research, she said. "I don't think he has had it thoroughly explained to him, and that is what will happen in the next few days," Moore said. Moore says diabetes has given her problems with her vision and her feet. It is now limiting the amount of time the actress can spend walking. Dangerous Balance People with Type 1 diabetes must balance insulin injections with the amount of food eaten (which raises blood sugar) and exercise taken (which lowers blood sugar), They must also be constantly be prepared for potential hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemic (high blood sugar) reactions, which are life-threatening. When a child is suffering with Type 1 diabetes, it changes their whole life. They must take on responsibility more quickly than other kids, since they have to be serious about monitoring their blood sugar levels and taking care of their insulin injections. Risk factors for Type 1 diabetes include autoimmune and genetic predisposition, but the disease's trigger is hard to pinpoint. Type 2 diabetes is about 10 times more common than Type 1 and the risk factors for Type 2 are more well defined and include older age, obesity and a family history of diabetes. The devastating complications of Type 1 diabetes are blindness, heart attack, kidney failure, stroke, nerve damage and amputations. While usually diagnosed in childhood, it is also diagnosed in adults. Since the organization's inception, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has provided more than $410 million to diabetes research worldwide. In 2001 alone, the Foundation will spend $120 million on research. Diabetes Symptoms June 25 — People who think they have diabetes must visit a physician for diagnosis. They might have some or none of the following symptoms: Frequent urination Excessive thirst Extreme hunger Sudden vision changes Tingling or numbness in hands or feet Feeling very tired much of the time Very dry skin Sores that are slow to heal More infections than usual Nausea, vomiting or stomach pains may accompany some of these symptoms in the abrupt onset of Type 1 diabetes. — Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/GoodMorningAmerica/GMA010625_diabetes.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn