What is diabetes? Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugar to build up in your blood.
Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
National Center For Chronic Disease Prevention And Health Promotion and NC Diabetes Prevention and Control Branch have published information and resources about diabetes; As well as facts about diabetes in North Carolina. Please read the brochures below for more information.
The Public Health Department maintains a listing of free or low costs diabetes screening services for the community. Click here for the list of agency contact information. Please feel free to call (336) 703-3219 with questions or for more information.