MARQUETTE — UP Lions Serve Defense Against Diabetes team launched a new website — https://uplionsserve.org/dad/ — during National Diabetes Awareness Month in November.  

The website is a comprehensive informational resource for awareness, education, prevention and self-management of diabetes.

Pre-diabetes is a serious health condition that puts people at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. According to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 34.2 million people in the United States, or more than 10% of the population, have diabetes. For the Upper Peninsula, it has been estimated that 1 in 3 people are pre-diabetic. 

Gary Perala, chair of the Defense Against Diabetes, created the idea, saying, “We came up with a plan to educate people and give them free tools and resources to develop self-management health skills from home.”

He is an advocate of diabetes self-management, believing it is essential for achieving and maintaining optimal glycemic control.

Perala and the Defense Against Diabetes team collaborated with two graphic designers from Northern Michigan University, Harrison Bouche and Cole Fisher and Social Media Manager Ryan Stafford from Michigan Tech University.

“I really couldn’t be prouder of our UP Lions Serve Team and what we have been able to produce in collaboration with talented and compassionate people like Bouche, Fisher and Stafford,” Perala said.