REQUESTING THAT JANUARY 29, 2002 BE DECLARED "DIABETES AWARENESS DAY" AT THE LEGISLATURE.

WHEREAS, diabetes is a chronic and debilitating disease affecting one hundred twenty million people worldwide; and

WHEREAS, sixteen million Americans suffer from diabetes; and

WHEREAS, approximately two hundred thousand New Mexicans suffer from diabetes; and

WHEREAS, type one diabetes is an autoimmune disorder commonly known as juvenile diabetes and type two diabetes is a metabolic disorder known as adult onset diabetes; and

WHEREAS, persons with type one diabetes must take multiple insulin injections daily to stay alive, and no cure for the disease has been found; and

WHEREAS, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, adult blindness and non-traumatic amputations; and

WHEREAS, diabetes is a leading cause of nerve damage, strokes and heart attacks; and

WHEREAS, diabetes kills one American every three minutes and accounts for more than one hundred five billion dollars ($105,000,000,000) of health care costs annually in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the mission of the juvenile diabetes research foundation international is to find a "cure" for diabetes that will restore normal blood sugar levels, to prevent and reverse the complications of both type one and type two diabetes and to prevent diabetes and its recurrence; and

WHEREAS, the juvenile diabetes research foundation international is a nonprofit and nongovernmental organization that funds diabetes research and has awarded more than four hundred ten million dollars ($410,000,000) to diabetes research since its founding in 1970;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the juvenile diabetes research foundation international be recognized for its work in providing funding for diabetes research since 1970; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that January 29, 2002 be declared "Diabetes Awareness Day" at the legislature; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be sent to the juvenile diabetes research foundation international.