Kidney Disease

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Only a little blood was shed by West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin following an appearance Monday in Martinsburg to promote the benefits of preventive health for the state's residents. Manchin was in the city to support an ongoing series of preventive health screenings that could indicate chronic kidney disease during an all-day Kidney Early Evaluation Program at West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center Eastern Division. After a brief speech, Manchin rolled up his shirt sleeves and demonstrated just how easy the process was. "It's worth the effort to take care of (our health)

Assisted living open house Eden Pines Assisted Living for the Memory Impaired will host an open house from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14, at Eden Pines, 310 Cameo Drive, Hagerstown. Refreshments will be served and tours will be available. For information, call 301-766-9202. Kidney donor awareness CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The Kidney Foundation of Central Pennsylvania will hold a "Kidney Donor Awareness Day" from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, at Alma's Attic, 54 S. Main St. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Diabetes is the fifth-deadliest disease in the United States. The annual cost of diabetes in 2002 was estimated to be $132 billion, or one out of every 10 health-care dollars spent in the nation. According to Susan Akridge, program manager of Robinwood Endocrinology, the elevated blood glucose associated with diabetes causes damage to the body's cells. It also can lead to complications such as blindness, kidney disease, nerve disease and amputation. Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness with 12,000 to 24,000 people a year losing their sight due to diabetes.

As Dr. Matthew Hahn, of Tri-State Community Clinic in Hancock, says, "There's no part of your body left unaffected by diabetes. " "Diabetes is linked to blindness, heart disease, kidney disease, susceptibility to infection, poor circulation and loss of sensation in the feet," Hahn says. "Overall treatment can include visits to numerous types of physicians and anywhere from two to 10 medications. The shame of it all is that all of the suffering and all of the expense is largely preventable.

Are you at risk for diabetes? If you are overweight, tired and run-down, or have a family history of diabetes, you could be the one in 50 Americans who has diabetes and doesn't even know it. November is Diabetes Month and a good time to learn about this disease that affects one in 20 Americans. --cont. from lifestyle -- Diabetes is a disease in which the body fails to properly convert sugars, starches and other foods into the energy needed by the body to function properly.