However, unlike June, there are millions of people around the world who have failed to control the disease. The implications are heart breaking. Diabetes has robbed countless individuals, regardless of age or race, of their eyesight, strength, and mental capacity. It is a de-habilitating disease that ruins lives and families. This is diabetes.

The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse defines diabetes as a disease "characterized by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both." But many people know it as a terror that effects countless people all over the world.

Every year, in the United States, over 750,000 new cases are diagnosed. And in the US alone, over 190,000 people die each year from this disease. Financ

Males of Newfoundland 228,462 10,263 (4.5%) 218,199 (95.5%)

Another major complication of diabetes is diabetic nephropathy. This disease is "a complication of diabetes mellitus characterized by protenuria and progressive reduction in kidney function". Caused by uncontrolled diabetes, nephropathy results from excessive kidney tissue damage. Diabetes promotes the hardening (sclerosis) of internal kidney structures. When the kidney membrane, the glomeruli, which is responsible for filtering the blood and forming urine, is hardened, it no longer functions properly. Eventually, filtration slows and protein, which the kidney normally retains, begins to leak into the urine. This leads to many symptoms including swelling of the face and legs, foamy urine, weight gain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headache, hiccups, and generalized itching. If left uncontrolled, diabetic nephropathy may result in chronic renal failure and hypertension, which can lead to death.

For years now diabetes has believed to be a result of an autoimmune response in which the body has mistaken pancreatic beta cells as foreign invaders. Analysis of the genetic structure of the body suggests that specific tissue types are coded with markers called antigens. The genes that control these antigens have now been studied and labelled. The system of tissue typing by means of antigens is now referred to as the Human Lymphocyte Antigen System. This system has revealed that when the body creates a tissue surface it marks it with a specific antigen. It also revealed that invading viruses are also marked with antigens. As time progresses the body creates white blood cells to fend off various viruses, using the antigens as homing devices. When diabetes occurs, the body incorrectly reads the antigen marking the beta cells as those of a foreign invader. It then sends its white blood cells to destroy the invaders. This, scientists believe, is the most probable cause of diabetes.

Rural areas of Atlantic Canada, however, reported rates significantly above the national rate of 4.1%. The highest rates were in Nova Scotia (5.9%), and in the Eastern Region (6.1%) and Central Region (7.4%) of Newfoundland.

Rather than accept their condition, some people deny that they have diabetes and refuse to deal with it. To confuse matter more, many people with IDDM experience something called a honeymoon phase immediately after diagnosis. During the honeymoon phase, the symptoms of diabetes and the need for insulin may all but disappear. Why the honeymoon phase occurs is still a matter of much debate, but the effect that it has on patients can be quite wrenching. Patients often believe that their diagnosis was some kind of mistake and that they don't have diabetes after all. Their relief may translate into reckless behaviour that may result in high blood sugars, which can have disastrous short- and long-term consequences. Most doctors prepare their newly diagnosed patients with IDDM

This is the terror known as diabetes. It takes its victims around a vicious cycle, taunting them to eat, drink, and urinate more. If they succumb, they merely fuel the draining ghost. Meanwhile, it uses the body to acidify the victim's blood and instigate death. What is even worse is that this predator takes many different forms.

Diabetes takes many forms. And each form has its own specific demands. Victims need to adapt to the diabetic way of life to control it.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Chronic Complications, Complications Acute, Krebs Cycle, Tipping Scales, Pancreatic Insulin, Antigen System, Balancing Act, Type II, Massachusetts Hospital, IDDM Characterized, glucose levels, blood glucose, blood glucose levels, beta cells, amino acids, blood sugar, blood stream, glucose tolerance, type ii, chronic complications, diabetes mellitus, impaired glucose tolerance, chronic complications diabetes, type ii diabetes, insulin production levels,
Approximate Word count = 6447
Approximate Pages = 26 (250 words per page double spaced)