There are several life threatening diseases that the public is educated on, but one in particular touches close to home for a few students. The Gamma Upsilon chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority hosted Sugar Rush, a diabetes awareness event to educate their fellow peers on the effects of sultry indulgences.
November is American Diabetes Month, serving as a time to grab the attention of others be- fore the holidays.
“Sugar Rush was an event that was created to inform others about our sugar intake and how we can balance or lesson it,” senior marketing and advertising major Winifred Tyson said. With the intent of having an interactive discussion, Zeta Phi Beta came up with the idea of structuring the event as if it were an AA meeting. Attendees went around the room introducing themselves and confessed their guilty pleasures that stood strong in sugar and sweets. After everyone was introduced, they watched an informative video on sugar consumption, and were able to see how much sugar was in their favorite foods and how much they should take in.
“Our goal was to educate the Pace community on how much sugar they consume,” Tyson said.
Diabetes plays another part in Zeta Phi Beta’s event as it is its chapter’s philanthropy.
“One of my sisters has a sib- ling who has been diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes,” Tyson said, “and it’s a cause near and dear to her heart.”
Juvenile Diabetes, also known as Type 1 Diabetes, is diagnosed in children and young adults, when their bodies do not produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes, also known as hyperglycemia, is when blood glucose (sugar) levels rise.
Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes, according the American Diabetes Association. But one cannot forget that diabetes is a growing disease, and individuals are being diagnosed every day with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. One diabetic student mentioned that she’s thrilled that organizations are taking a stance on the topic and bringing awareness to it. However, she did mention that the university should do more by encouraging Chartwells to make dining a little easier by providing for diabetics with nutrition facts at each food station.
“Little things like this can help the diabetic community feel more supported and healthy while on campus,” one diabetic student, whose name is disclosed for privacy concerns, said.
She went on to say that it’s disappointing that diabetes isn’t being talked about on campus, especially since the numbers are growing in families across the nation. Fortunately, Zeta Phi Beta is making that change by bringing awareness to the disease.
Earlier this month, Zeta Phi Beta had a tabling event to pro- mote awareness for the Juvenile Diabetes walk. The organization has taken the initiative to bring awareness of the disease to campus through their efforts, and there is more to come.
Tyson spoke about others she is close with who have diabetes. Although it isn’t Juvenile Diabetes, she does have a heavy family history of diabetes on both sides. She went on to say that it’s an issue that is not talked about a lot, making it even more important to educate the university community on.