What disturbs me most is when I hear people with diabetes say they didn't realize that there could be complications associated with the disease. While diabetes can be managed well in most cases, there are serious complications that can present themselves when someone doesn't work towards better blood sugar control.

The Newton Daily News had a good article examining diabetes myths. Understanding the myths that surround diabetes are one good way to raise awareness, so if you're interested, please check out the article.

Diabetes complications are not inevitable. The studies mentioned before — the UKPDS and DCCT — have shown that complication can be delayed and even prevented with good blood sugar control. As we teach in our Diabetes Self Management Education program here at Skiff, diabetes is a serious, common, costly but a controllable disease. There are many things people with diabetes can do to live a full life while preventing or delaying complications.