Proclamation
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate 37.3 million adults and children in the United States are diagnosed with diabetes, a serious condition that impacts the body’s ability to produce or respond appropriately to insulin that is needed to fuel the body’s cells; and WHEREAS, diabetes impacts the residents of Merced County by 15.9% and growing; and WHEREAS, there are many types of diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2, and gestational, that impact people of all ages, genders, body types, races, and nationalities; and WHEREAS, diabetes lowers the life expectancy by up to 15 years, increases the risk of heart disease by 2 to 4 times, and is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputations, and adult-onset blindness; and WHEREAS, many factors increase the risk of these complications, like lack of access to quality medical care, social determinants of health, lack of access to affordable insulin, race, and ethnicity; and WHEREAS, improving community awareness of diabetes, including risk factors, detection and treatment of the disease and its complications, and working to create a supportive community in Merced can improve the quality-of-life for residents living with diabetes; and WHEREAS, a commitment to making diabetes and diabetes outcomes a community priority, including access to healthy food, access to affordable care, services and prescriptions, and awareness and education is critical to improved quality-of-life and reduction of the devastating complications of diabetes.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Matt Serratto, Mayor of the City of Merced, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim November 2022, as Diabetes Awareness Month and call upon residents, schools, government agencies, nonprofits, health care providers, research institutions and other interested groups to join in activities that raise awareness of diabetes and help identify, treat, and manage the disease.
Signed this 21st day of November 2022.
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Matthew Serratto, Mayor of Merced