Projects

India: CMC, Vellore Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Young Diabetic Clinic: 150 patients, ages 1-50 (avg age 25)

1. Resources: Currently, type 1 patients are provided only 1 glucose testing strip/day. We are working to increase this supply to at least 5 strips a day. We anticipate that the cost will be 100 rupees ($1)/day/patient
2. Education: Currently, many type 1 patients come to clinic visits unaccompanied by family members who are unable to afford transportation and missed wages. This is a missed opportunity to educate the family of type 1 patients regarding the disease and their care. We are working to provide a stipend to allow the family of type 1 patients to attend educational conferences on the topic of diabetes care, and thus help them to take an active and supportive role. We anticipate this cost will be 150 rupees ($1.5)/conference/attendee.
3. Research: For many patients, type 1 diabetes is a clinical diagnosis and not confirmed with further blood testing. This may lead to a misdiagnosis and missed opportunities to treat with the appropriate medications. Currently, we are working with staff at CMC to enhance the screening of type 1 diabetic patients for auto-antibodies associated with type 1 diabetes, and for testing of c-peptide which measures their own ability to make insulin.

1. Resources: Currently, glucose testing and insulin supplies are scarce and patients often go without consistent supplies. We are working to provide a consistent source of insulin pens, needles, and glucose testing supplies. We anticipate this cost to be 12,000 Uganda Schillings ($5)/day/patient.
2. Education: Support for type 1 diabetes-related education classes is limited. Take-home materials are thus scarce. We are working to provide take-home type 1 diabetes educational materials (hard-copy as the majority of patients do not have internet access). We anticipate the cost of this to be 36,000 Uganda Schillings ($15)/patient.
3. Research: Currently, type 1 diabetes is a clinical diagnosis and is not confirmed with further blood testing. This may lead to a misdiagnosis and missed opportunities to treat with the appropriate medications. Currently, we are working to screen type 1 diabetic patients for auto-antibodies associated with type 1 diabetes. We are also planning to test them for c-peptide, which measures their own ability to produce insulin.

Ethiopia: Addis Ababa University

1. Resources: We plan to help implement better access to glucose test strips and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing supplies, both of which are severely limited in Ethiopia.
2. Education: We are helping to design and implement a formal endocrinology training program for Ethiopian physicians. We will be contributing lectures and materials on the subject of type 1 diabetes to endocrinology fellows, residents, and nursing staff.  Our goal is to help educate Ethiopian-based healthcare providers, and contribute to a sustainable supply of Ethiopian-based medical professionals
3. Research: We plan to fund research aimed at improving type 1 diabetes epidemiology, prevention and cure.

1. Resources: We plan to help implement better access to glucose test  strips and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing supplies, both of which are  severely limited in Rwanda.
2. Education: We are supporting a type 1 diabetes training camp, designed  to provide people with type 1 diabetes who are aging out of other  support programs to learn vital diabetes self-management skills, how  to seek good nutrition and how to grow glycemically friendly foods,  and also learn a trade (such as tailoring and agriculture) which can  help sustainably fund their diabetes medications and supplies.  Such  programs, held over a 4-6 month period, aim to help people with type 1  diabetes in Rwanda thrive into adulthood.
3. Research: We plan to fund research aimed at improving type 1 diabetes  epidemiology, prevention and cure.

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