Mayor Barrett Honors Diabetic Walking 10,000 Miles to Raise Awareness

Mayor Barrett Honors Diabetic Walking 10,000 Miles to Raise Awareness

 
Milwaukee -- Mayor Tom Barrett today declared Friday, November 12, 2004 "Mr. Diabetes Day" in honor of Andrew P. Mandell.  The 59 year old Mandell was diagnosed with diabetes 19 years ago.  He is literally taking steps, some 10,000 miles, across the United States to raise awareness about the dangers of diabetes.  Mandell, known as Mr. Diabetes, marked his 6,000th mile in Milwaukee.  "Andrew Mandell is living proof that anyone with a goal can succeed despite challenges he or she faces," stated Mayor Barrett.

Mandell is executive director of Defeat Diabetes Foundation which was established in 1990 and is a registered nonprofit organization.  Its mission is to educate people about the disease, its prevention and consequences of undiagnosed and/or poorly managed diabetes.  Defeat Diabetes Foundation says a healthy diet and increasing your level of physical activity can help reduce your chances of getting Type 2 diabetes.

More than 22 million people have diabetes and an additional 2,200 people are being diagnosed daily.  Diabetes can lead to serious health complications including blindness, heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and Alzheimer's.  Diabetes can even cause death.  Diabetes causes more than 215,000 deaths every year in the United States.  Type 2 diabetes is preventable with education and awareness.  "I commend Andrew Mandell for his efforts educating people about the dangers of diabetes and how to help prevent diabetes," stated Barrett.

Symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue, irritability and blurry vision.  Anyone with these symptoms is encouraged to see a physician. 

Andrew Mandell will continue his walk through the upper tier states to the east coast of Maine before heading south toward the finish line in Madeira Beach, Florida, sometime in 2006 or 2007.

 

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