Gone untreated, diabetes can lead to diabetic neuropathy-- serious nerve damage that results in numbness and infection. In extreme cases, the consequence may be the amputation of a limb. Foregoing treatment may also lead to blindness, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease, which in turn can cause an ugly death.
Many victims in Guatemala are unaware that they have it. Those who are aware often cannot afford treatment. The Diabetes Club supports 35 participants once a month at Mayan Families, offering counseling and minimal education on foods and drinks that would help them to control their illness. Participants recieve a check-up, a snack, educational talks and much-needed companionship with those suffering the same illness.
Without the money to buy healthy foods, many rely on starchy, sugary foods to sustain them: tortillas, potatoes, or bread. Having little financial means to control their diet adds insult to injury, as suffering the effects of back-breaking work or standing all day in smoke-filled kitchens worsens their symptoms. The Diabetes Club cannot afford to provide insulin to our participants, nor other basic medical necessities a patient may need, such as a glucometer or oral hypoglycemics.
Eventually, Mayan Families would like to provide patients with the access to the care they deserve, and the education necessary to help them control their diabetes, specifically in the extreme living conditions particular to the highlands of Guatemala. For now, our participants benefit from the community and care offered by the Diabetes Club.
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