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News for Hoosiers Senator Lugar and Gleaners Food Bank Collect Food for the Holidays Senator Lugar and Gleaners Food Bank hosted a food drive reception to stock the shelves for Thanksgiving and raise awareness about the need to donate to food banks. Hoosiers attending took tours of Gleaners' facility and Senator Lugar thanked them for supporting Indiana food banks. Admission to the event was free with a food or monetary donation to Gleaners.
In addition to the event, volunteers will collect donations on Monument Circle in Indianapolis on December 10 and December 17 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Previous collections on November 26 and December 3 were successful, but food banks need extra assistance during the holiday season.
Senator Lugar Urges Prevention and Healthy Lifestyle During Diabetes Month In recognition of American Diabetes Month this November, Senator Lugar urged Hoosiers to be vigilant about managing diabetes if they have been diagnosed and to take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes if they are at risk. “During American Diabetes Month, I urge Hoosiers to take the steps to prevent or delay the development of diabetes or its complications. Early detection and treatment are vital to preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes or its complications,” said Senator Lugar. Diabetes is the leading cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and lower limb amputation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20.8 million American children and adults have diabetes, and nearly one-third of these Americans do not know they have the disease. Another 54 million Americans have “pre-diabetes,” meaning their blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes, putting them in an elevated risk category. Senator Lugar highlighted a number of steps people can take if they have or are at risk of developing diabetes, including taking a diabetes risk test, getting early access to quality treatment, and making healthy choices like eating right and staying active. Seeing a doctor and getting a physical are the best way to determine risk for developing diabetes. Senator Lugar consistently supports legislation and activities that promote fitness, nutrition and health. He hosts an annual Health Fair in downtown Indianapolis and Community Run/Walk each fall on Butler’s campus. Along with its human toll, diabetes is one of the nation’s costliest diseases. One out of every 10 health care dollars was spent on diabetes and its complications, with direct and indirect costs totaling $132 billion in 2002. This includes costs for diabetes care, diabetes-related complications, and lost productivity. You can learn more about diabetes by visiting diabetes.org or by calling the American Diabetes Association’s Call Center at 1-800-DIABETES. A message from the U.S. Department of State: The U.S. Department of State, Office of Children’s Issues, has announced that President Bush signed the U.S. instrument of ratification of the Hague Adoption Convention on November 16. The Hague Adoption Convention protects children and their families against the risks of unregulated adoptions abroad and ensures that intercountry adoptions are made in the best interests of children. The Convention also serves to prevent the abduction of, sale of, or traffic in children. Once the treaty is in force, the new processing requirements for Hague adoption cases will take effect for adoptions between the United States and more than 70 Convention members. The new process protects the rights of children, birth parents, and adoptive parents while promoting transparency, accountability, and ethical practices among adoption service providers. The official U.S. effective date is projected to be April 1, 2008, and will be announced by the State Department in the Federal Register. For more information on intercountry adoptions and the Hague Adoption Convention, please visit the Intercountry Adoption page of the Department of State website.
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