November was National Diabetes Month, a time when communities across the country seek to bring attention to the disease. At Livingston High School, several staff members worked together to raise awareness about diabetes, a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. It affects about 37 million Americans, including adults and youth. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, diabetes can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart, and it is linked to some types of cancer, but taking charge of one's health may help prevent diabetes-related health problems.
This initiative became a school-wide endeavor with several staff members and students contributing to this important cause. Each staff member involved in this initiative is personally impacted by Type 1 Diabetes and have used their experiences to drive this campaign for awareness and fundraising.
In an effort to educate the LHS community about the disease, teacher Brian Megaro and the set design crew sold juice boxes in the LHS cafeteria and during the Fall Play with a card that explains how people who have Type 1 diabetes use juice and other high sugar foods to keep their sugar level from dropping too low. To draw attention to their cause, Mr. Megaro constructed a large juice box display.
Laura DeNicola led a bracelet fundraiser activity, which raised money for research for a cure for Type 1 diabetes. The bracelet was light blue in honor of Diabetes Awareness Month. Designed by Ms. DeNicola, the bracelet says “live, laugh, cure” and clubs across LHS participated in this initiative.
Chris Conroy's Graphic Design class participated in a 30 minute challenge to design a decorative sticker for an Omnipod, which is an automated insulin pump worn directly on the body.
AM Wired aired a “One Fact a Day” segment about diabetes to spread awareness of who is impacted by the disease, warning signs and symptoms, and famous celebrities and entertainers who have the disease.
Mr. Megaro and Ms. Wells are starting a support group at LHS for students and staff members who have Type 1 diabetes. This affinity group is aimed at supporting students with diabetes, giving them a space to talk about life as a student and person with the disability. This group is aimed at connecting students with similar experiences to share their stories, tips for living with the disease, and to give them friendly faces to connect within the school. If you are interested in joining this group, please reach out to bmegaro@livingston.org or lwells@livingston.org.
