November is the Diabetes Awareness Month and it is important to acknowledge this day, whether you are suffering from diabetes or not. This is a disease that has with time grown and because many people are suffering from it, programs have been designed that create awareness to the general public. Alarming statistics show that nearly thirty million adults and children in the US have diabetes and that another eighty six million have pre-diabetes or are at a risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It is important to first understand that there are three major types of Diabetes Mellitus.

• Type 1 Diabetes (Juvenile Diabetes)
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Gestational Diabetes

What they all have in common is that not enough insulin is produced by the body and if it does, the body does not use it. When this happens, high levels of blood glucose are observed in the bloodstream and this is detrimental in so many ways because damage is experienced in blood vessels in areas like the kidney, nervous system, eyes or heart. When left untreated for long periods of time, the following eventually happens;

• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Nervous system is damaged
• Kidney disease
• Blindness

Juvenile Diabetes which is also called Type 1 Diabetes is what we will be exploring in this chapter and this is because you need to be aware of it. It is a type of diabetes that often begins in childhood and it is caused by the body attacking its own pancreas with antibodies. People with this type of diabetes find that the body is not able to produce its own insulin because the damaged pancreas itself cannot make it. Treatment involves injecting insulin into the body so as to counter its effects. It is important for patients to wear medical jewelry such as bracelets or medical ID for information to be assessed with ease in case of an emergency. Consider getting yourself a Diabetes Awareness Ribbon to show your support and spread the awareness.