Diabetes Mellitus represents the paradigm of a chronic and crippling disease which spreads as a world epidemic and is more frequently detectable as the people age level grows higher, their life style changes and scientific knowledge advances. In Argentina it affects an estimated 3 million people and half of them are not aware of it.
Even if it predominates within the older age social group, we can observe an increase in both children and teenagers. It progresses together with the growth of conditions favoring malnutrition and sedentarianism. Diabetes takes first place as the cause of blindness, non traumatic amputation, terminal renal insufficiency (dialysis patients) and sexual impotence.
Also this disease absorbs a disproportioned amount from the Healthcare budgets due to high direct (professional care), indirect (handicap, pensions and premature death) and intangible (suffering, psycho- social transcendence) costs.
The Future
Good news come together with the research done in the last decade of the 20th century which show the feasibility of an efficient interventions in every level to significantly reduce the disease incidence and its consequences.
Works like DCCT (Diabetes Control and Complications Tests) and UKPDS (United Kindom Prospective Diabetes Study) show that there exists a direct relation between the metabolic control degree (blood glucose level) and the risk of long-term complications in both insulin-dependent and non dependent diabetics.
The challenge is, therefore, the efficient search and use of new tools in the areas of education, research and community aid tending to change conditioning factors and to prevent those factors which give rise to Diabetes Mellitus and its complications. This is the reason for the existence of VIDI Foundation.
OUR PROPOSAL
Educational talks for the community, Lectures in schools and universities. Courses for Healthcare professionals. Campaigns to detect both Diabetes and risk factors. Training workshops for Healthcare agents. Advertising of activities through the media. Working together with complementary associations and programs. Creation of national and International chapters. These are same of the tools which VIDI Foundation considers adequate to carry out its ends.
VIDI Foundation is oriented to favor both health and the quality of life of people with Diabetes Mellitus and their immediate environment. It offers reciprocal relationships and is asking for the participation of the community.
