These area residents have been fighting diabetes. November is National Diabetes Month.

Vicki Abernathy, team captain, second from right, and friends and employees of Lee-Rowan were on the winning team in the recent America's Walk for Diabetes. The team raised close to $5,000.

About 16 million people have diabetes. Half of the 16 million have diabetes and don't know it. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, nerve damage and more. November is National Diabetes Month.

Vicki Abernathy of Jackson, who has diabetes, says more people have the affliction than have AIDS and breast cancer combined.

Abernathy recently spoke with Miss America, Nicole Johnson, who Abernathy says is going to be a great spokesman for the cause. Gladys Knight, the singer, is also a leading spokesman for diabetes.

Diabetes is a devastating disease in which the pancreas doesn't produce insulin, which in turn does not allow the body to burn sugar.

Abernathy, who takes eight shots a day, has recently had eye surgery, which was directly related to the disease. She says diabetes rules her blood sugar every minute of the day. She has had this devastating disease for 15 years.

At f~irst, she was in denial, since she has always been very healthy and active. She has neuropathy, which has affected the nerves and muscles in her legs and slows her down; however, she continues to be involved in as many activities as possible.

"Determination is the key because the alternative is not acceptable," Abernathy said. "My friends and family have been very supportive, but it is hard for them to understand how the blood sugar affects moods." She says it is hard to be her friend, because "most of the time they must adapt to my lifestyle instead of me to theirs."

Abernathy is a delegate for diabetes, which means she has traveled to Washington, D.C., to speak with policy makers about diabetes and related issues. The American Diabetes Association's mission is the prevention and ultimate cure of diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

In 1959, Pat Hedern~an-Heisse was diagnosed as a juvenile diabetic. She is the St. Louis-based regional director for the American Diabetes Association. She has three brothers and three sisters and none have diabetes. She was the only kid in her school with diabetes until she entered college.

"It was kind of lonely and frequently scary. My parents had to boil glass syringes and metal needles before every use. It took a special request from a bar owner to have access to sugar-free soda," she said.

Theon Schlosser, retired postmaster, 66, said, "Diabetes is controllable by good management. I have experienced complications and know that good management is important. If not, diabetes will manage me."

Mitch Sadler, a 16-year-old sophomore at Cape Central says he was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 4 years old. He has lived with it ever since. He has been encouraged to do anything and everything he can by his friends and family.

Wade Cramer, 13, Student Council treasurer for his school, honor roll student since ~fifth grade and a student athlete, when asked how diabetes has affected his life, said, "Well, it hasn't really affected my life that much, except I can't eat candy and high-fat food. I have to think about how I eat and how it will help or hurt my life. I have to exercise and it has been a challenge for me that I must be responsible for myself."

Rosie Danker, RN, a certified diabetes educator, has diabetes.

"I do get tired, tired of the finger sticks, tired of trying to adhere to schedules, tired of insulin injections, although I now have an insulin pump and this has made my life much, much easier," said Danker. "I'm tired of the diet, tired of doctors visits. But I am hopeful I will live to see a cure for diabetes. Until then, I will continue to be challenged by this devastating disease."

Sina Kaiser, president of the Southeast Missouri chapter, said that just six months ago she was having a lot of insulin reactions.

"In fact I was going into shock and was hospitalized. Dr. Duick suggested I go to the insulin pump, which I did. You know, a brittle diabetic has to be on guard all the time with every feeling diagnosed.

"After 10 days on the pump~, I knew something was different and when I thought it through I was surprised I felt good and I wasn't used to feeling good. After 26 years on needles and taking blood samples, I felt free as bird.

"Life is much different since May and I'm back to full speed ahead. Early last spring I thought of myself as a diabetic. Now I think, H~ey, I'm Sina! And I happen to have diabetes."~ ~~~~~~