TWO OF THE BIGMEDICAL CENTERS HERE INBALTIMORE ARE WORKING ONBATTLING THE DISEASE.
WMAR-2NEWS' MARK ROPER IS LIVEOUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY OFMARYLAND'S DIABETES CENTER INMIDTOWN.
MARK -- SOME PEOPLEMIGHT NOT REALIZE DIABETES CANBE DEADLDOCTORS SAY IF LEFT UNTREATED-- DIABETES CAN CAUSE SERIOUSHEALTH COMPLICATIONS LIKEHEART DISEASE OR VASCULARPROBLEMS FOR MEN.
THEUNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICALCENTER AND JOHNS HOPKINS HAVEA FIVE-YEAR PLAN TO TACKLEDIABETES IN OUR STATE.
HEALTHOFFICIALS SAY THE KEY TOLIVING A FULL AND COMPLETELIFE WITH DIABETES IS TO CATCHIT EARLY.TYPE-2 DIABETES ISTHE MOST COMMON FORM OF THEDISEASE.THE BODY EITHERDOESN'T PRODUCE ENOUGH INSULINOR RESISTS INSULIN.AND IF LEFTUNTREATED -- IT CAN CAUSESERIOUS HEALTH COMPLICATIONS.IT'S WHY THE UNIVERSITY OFMARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER ANDJOHNS HOPKINS HEALTH SYSTEMARE WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATEA REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP TOFIGHT DIABETES.THE GOAL IS TONOT ONLY PREVENT OR DELAY TYPE2 DIABETES BUT TO HELP THOSELIVING WITH DIABETES IMPROVETHEIR HEALTH.THEY'RE WORKINGON CREATING MORECOMMUNITY-BASED CARE CENTERSAND OFFER SERVICES INNON-TRADITIONAL HEALTH CARESETTINGS TO REACH MORE PEOPLEso this year is one of theplanning phase as were tryingto figure out how to roll thisout and really affectthousands of people ratherthan just a small handful thatwe typically do in on ourcenter so we wanna make this astate wide a much broaderinitiative with a big focus inBaltimore city but also spreadthroughout other parts of thstate JUNE IS MEN'S HEALTHMONTH AND NEXT HOUR -- WE'LLHEAR FROM A MAN WHO'S APATIENT HERE AT UMD'S CENTERFOR DIABETES ANDENDOCRINOLOGY.