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August  2,  2011    President  Barack  Obama  The  White  House  1600  Pennsylvania  Ave  NW  Washington,  DC  20500    Dear  Mr.  President:    We,  the  undersigned  organizations  and  individuals,  request  that  you  attend  the  United  Nations  High-­‐Level  Summit  on  Non-­‐Communicable  Diseases  (NCD)  in  September  to  push  for  better  health  for  all  of  those  living  with  diabetes.    

This  September,  you  and  your  fellow  political  leaders  will  have  a  once-­in-­a-­generation  opportunity  to  halt  a  global   epidemic   that   is   killing   and   disabling   millions   of   people,   impoverishing   families,   and   undermining  economic  progress.  The  UN  NCD  Summit  is  a  chance  for  the  Government  of  the  United  States  of  America  to  play  a   leading   global   role   in   confronting   this  major   threat   to   the   health,   prosperity   and   security   of   all   of   us   and  future  generations.    

Together,   the   four   major   NCDs   –   diabetes,   cancer,   heart   disease   and   chronic   respiratory   disease   –   are   the  world’s  number  one  killer.  It  is  estimated  that  some  35  million  people  die  from  NCDs  each  year,  and  14  million  of   these  deaths  could  be  averted  or  delayed.  Diabetes  alone  creates  a  huge  burden  -­‐  over  300  million  people  worldwide  have  diabetes  now,  and  that  figure  will  reach  half  a  billion  within  a  generation  if  we  do  not  act  now.  One   dollar   in   every   eight   spent   across   the   world   on   healthcare   last   year   went   on   diabetes   –   a   staggering  USD378  billion   in   total.  No   country   rich  or  poor   is   immune   from   the   impact.   In   the  US  alone,   there  are  25.8  million  people  with  diabetes,   and   the  Centers   for  Disease  Control   and  Prevention   estimate   that   by  2050,  US  prevalence   will   rise   to   as   many   as   one   in   three   Americans.   EVERY   one   of   us   knows   someone   touched   by  diabetes.    

As  a  group  of  committed  diabetes  advocates,  we  ask  you  to  attend  the  UN  Summit  and  work  with  other  political  leaders   to   take   action.  We  have   attached   the  NCD  Alliance’s1   proposals   for   the   Summit   outcomes,  which  we  believe  should  be  the  basis  of  the  political  response  to  NCDs.  The  global  failure  to  invest  in  NCDs  has  led  to  the  current  crisis,  yet  we  have  cost-­‐effective  solutions  that  can  save  lives  and  make  economic  sense.  These  include  action  on  prevention  and  diagnosis  as  well  as  universal  access  to  affordable,  high-­‐quality  essential  medicines  and  medical  technologies.  We  are  also  calling  for  the  establishment  of  a  Stop  NCDs  partnership  to  lead  multi-­‐sectoral   and   coordinated   action,   and   a   UN   Decade   of   Action   on   NCDs   to   implement   the   commitments  governments  will  make  at  the  UN  Summit  in  New  York.  

We  would  be  pleased  to  provide  your  office  with  any  further  information  in  preparation  for  the  UN  Summit.  

NCDs  such  as  diabetes  affect  us  all.  Diabetes  increasingly  strikes  children,  threatening  international  economic  progress.  But  we  are  not  powerless.  We  have  achievable  cost-­‐effective  solutions.  We  need  political  leadership  now  to  make  them  a  reality.  Please  be  a  champion  for  Non-­Communicable  Diseases  by  attending  the  UN  Summit  in  September  and  safeguard  the  health  and  prosperity  of  future  generations  in  the  US  and  around  the  world.    

Yours  sincerely,    

[All  signatures  on  file]  Kelly  Close  (diaTribe)  Research  &  product  news  for  15,000+  people  with  diabetes    Manny  Hernandez  (Diabetes  Hands  Foundation)  Serving  200,000  people  with  diabetes  every  month    Phil  Southerland  (Team  Type  1)  CEO/Founder  Team  Type  1,  author  of  Not  Dead  Yet,  and  complication  free  after  29  years  with  Type  1  Diabetes  due  to  always  having  had  access  to  insulin  and  testing  supplies.      Bruce  Buckingham,  M.D.  (Stanford  Medical  Center)  Professor,  Pediatrics  -­  Division  of  Endocrinology  and  Diabetes  

 

                                                                                                                                       1  The  NCD  Alliance  comprises  the  International  Diabetes  Federation,  the  International  Union  Against  TB  and  Lung  Disease,  the  Union  for  International  Cancer  Control,  and  the  World  Heart  Federation.  Together  the  NCD  Alliance  represents  900  member  associations  in  170  countries:  www.ncdalliance.org  

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Jessica  Apple,  Michael  Aviad,  Karmel  Allison  (ASweetLife.org)  Reaching  30,000  People  Affected  by  Diabetes  Each  Month    David  Edelman,  Elizabeth  Edelman  (DiabetesDaily.com)  A  diabetes  community  reaching  300,000  each  month.    Francine  R.  Kaufman,  M.D.  (Childrens  Hospital  Los  Angeles)  Emeritus  Professor  of  Pediatrics  and  Communications  at  USC  -­  The  Center  for  Diabetes,  Endocrinology  &  Metabolism    Amy  Tenderich  (DiabetesMine)  A  leading  diabetes  blog  serving  50,000  readers  a  month    Riva  Greenberg  (the  Huffington  Post  and  DiabetesStories.com)  Reaching  more  than  150,000  diabetes  patients,  professionals  and  readers  each  month    Paula  Ford-­Martin  (dLife)  Editor-­in-­Chief,  Patient  Advocate,  Author   Zachary  T.  Bloomgarden,  MD  (www.jdiabetes.com)  Editor,  the  Journal  of  Diabetes    Sheri  Colberg,  PhD  (www.shericolberg.com)  Expert  on  diabetes  and  exercise,  author  of  8  books  on  lifestyle  and  diabetes  management    Sarah  Knotts  –  Insulin,  Glucose,  Test  Strip  Stories  Sharing  real  stories  of  living  with  Type  1  Diabetes  since  1988.  

William  “Lee”  Dubois,  Diabetes  Author,  Educator,  &  Advocate  Reaching  more  than  3  million  people  a  month  via  columns  and  articles    Steven  V.  Edelman,  M.D.  Founder  and  Director  of  Taking  Control  of  Your  Diabetes    Sandra  Bourdette  (Taking  Control  Of  Your  Diabetes)  Co-­Founder  and  Executive  Director,  Educating  and  empowering  the  diabetes  community  since  1995   Irl  B.  Hirsch,  M.D.  (University  of  Washington  Med  Ctr-­Roosevelt)  Professor  of  Medicine   Neal  Kaufman,  M.D.,  M.P.H.  (UCLA  Schools  of  Medicine  and  Public  Health)  Professor  of  Pediatrics  and  Public  Health    Tom  Karlya  (Diabetesdad)  Columnist  at  dLife,  1  million+  people  with  diabetes    Lois  Jovanovič,  MD  (Sansum  Diabetes  Research  Institute)  CEO  &  Chief  Scientific  Officer    James  S.  Hirsch  Author  of  "Cheating  Destiny:  Living  with  Diabetes"    Bernard  Farrell  (Diaboogle.com  and  Diabetes  Technology  Blog)  Diabetes  answers  for  1,000  people  per  month  and  reviewing  technology  for  3,000  readers/month.    Scott  K.  Johnson  (scottsdiabetes.com)  Diabetes  blog  reaching  thousands  per  month    George  Simmons  (Ninjabetic)  Sharing  my  story  so  others  feel  less  alone.      Randolph  B.  Linde,    M.D.  (Endocrinologist)  Palo  Alto  Medical  Foundation  Brandy  Barnes  (www.DiabetesSisters.org)  

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A  national  nonprofit  organization  devoted  to  the  issues  faced  by  women  with  diabetes)  and  a  woman  who  has  lived  with  diabetes  for  more  than  21  years.        Kelly  Booth  (kellywpa.wordpress.com)  Helping  people  with  diabetes  complications    Kerri  Sparling  (SixUntilMe.com)  Patient  Blogger,  Diabetes  Advocate,  and  Living  with  Type  1  Diabetes    Howard  Zisser,  MD  (Sansum  Diabetes  Research  Institute)  Director  of  Clinical  Research  and  Diabetes  Technology    Bruce  W.  Bode  MD  FACE  Atlanta  Diabetes  Associate    Michael  W.  Hoskins  (The  Diabetic's  Corner  Booth)  Personal  blog  reaching  5,500  globally  each  month.  

 Karen  Graffeo  (BitterSweetDiabetes.com)  Patient  blog  reaching  several  hundred  subscribers  

 Gina  Capone  (DiabetesTalkfest.com,  Juvenation.org)  Patient  blogger  and  community  manager  reaching  over  19,000+  affected  by  diabetes.    Crystal  Lane  (Randomly  capitalizeD)  Diabetes  Advocate  letting  hundreds  know  they  are  not  alone    Scott  Strange  (StrangelyDiabetic.com)  Sharing  decades  of  diabetes  trials  and  tribulations    Lorraine  Sisto  (This  is  Caleb...)  Daily  readers  in  excess  of  500.    Wendy  K.  Rose,  RN  (www.CandyHeartsBlog.com)  Diabetes  Advocate    Aliza  Chana  Zaleon  (Aliza  With  Diabetes)  1,000+  readers  and  counting    Michael  W.  Durbin  (www.mydiabeticheart.com)  Diabetes  Advocate,  living  with  Type  2  Diabetes  and  Congestive  Heart  Failure  

 Kim  Vlasnik  (Texting  My  Pancreas;  You  Can  Do  This  Project)    Reaching  12,000+  people  with  diabetes  every  month    Mari  Ruddy  (Team  WILD  and  Red  Rider  Recognition  Program  Founder)  Representing  over  5,000  cyclists  and  athletes  with  diabetes    Scott  Strumello  (Scott's  Web  Log)  A  Patient-­Written  Blog  Reaching  An  Average  of  2,500  Visitors  Per  Month    Lahle  Wolfe  (Isletsofhope.com,  Pre-­Diabetes.com)  7.9  million  visitors  since  2005,  10,000+  subscribers    Bill  Woods  (1HappyDiabetic.com)  “It’s  All  About  Your  Attitude!”    Martin  Wood  (DiabeticallySpeaking.com)  Type  1  diabetes  blogger  and  advocate.  Sharing  my  life  with  diabetes  so  that  others  may  have  a  voice.    Chris  Stocker  (The  Life  of  a  Diabetic)  Reaching  1,000's  of  people  with  diabetes  every  day!  

 Naomi  Kingery,  The  Diabetic  Diva  (www.livetolovediabetes.com)  Author  and  blogger  who  has  reached  over  10,000  people  with  diabetes.  

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Victoria  Cumbow  (www.victoriacumbow.com)  Type  1  diabetic  for  18  years,  advocate,  patient  and  health  blogger  at  Dia-­Beat-­This  and  @victoriacumbow    Hallie  K.  Addington  (The  Princess  and  The  Pump)  I  am  a  wife,  mother,  teacher…  and  a  pancreas!  

 Kelly  Kunik  (diabetesaliciousness.blogspot.com)  Spreading  Diabetes  Validation  through  Humor,Ownership  &  Advocacy    Elissa  R.  Weitzman,  ScD,  MSc  Assistant  Professor    Harvard  Medical  School  |  Children’s  Hospital  Boston  

 Cherise  Shockley  (Diabetes  Social  Media  Advocacy)  Diagnosed  with  Latent  Autoimmune  Diabetes  in  Adults  in  June  2004.  Creator  of    Diabetes  Social  Media  Advocacy  (DSMA)  weekly  twitter  chat  and  blog  talk  radio.    Merle  Gleeson  (Type  1  Diabetes  Lounge)    Meri  Schuhmacher  (Our  Diabetic  Life)  Blogger,  advocate,  friend  to  1000+  mothers  and  fathers  of  children  with  diabetes.  

 Satish  K.  Garg,  MD  (Barbara  Davis  Center  for  Childhood  Diabetes,  University  of  Colorado  Denver)  Professor  of  Medicine  and  Pediatrics;  Director,  Adult  Program;  Clinical  and  Research  Endowed  Chairs  Editor-­in-­Chief,  Diabetes  Technology  and  Theraputics    Beatriz  Dominguez  (Sweet  Bea)  Diabetes  Patient  and  Advocate    Jessica  Collins  (jess-­meandd.blogspot.com)  Diabetes  blogger  and  advocate    Allison  Blass  (Lemonade  Life)  A  personal  blog  about  living  with  diabetes  serving  5,000  readers  a  month    Leighann  Calentine  (D-­Mom  Blog)  Mom  of  a  child  with  type  1  diabetes,  author  of  D-­Mom  Blog  reaching  8,000+  families  per  month,  diabetes  advocate.      Hope  Warshaw,  RD,  CDE  (www.hopewarshaw.com)  Diabetes  educator,  author  with  nearly  1  million  books  in  print    Nicolas  Cuttriss,  MD,  MPH  (www.ayudainc.net)  Empowering  youth  to  serve  as  agents  of  change  in  diabetes  communities  abroad    Jane  Jeffrie  Seley,  DNP  MPH  MSN  BC-­ADM  CDE  (New  York  Presbyterian/Weill  Cornell)  Diabetes  Nurse  Practitioner    Barry  H  Ginsberg,  MD,  PhD  Diabetes  Consultants  

   Prof.  Dr.  Lutz  Heinemann,  PhD  (Profil  Institut  für  Stoffwechselforschung  GmbH)  Partner  and  Scientific  Consultant    Bennet  Dunlap  (Your  Diabetes  May  Vary,  The  BetesNOW)  Advocate  for  families  living  with  diabetes.  Father  of  two  type  1  teens.  

Jay  Skyler,  MD  (University  of  Miami  Miller  School  of  Medicine,  Diabetes  Research  Institute)  Professor  of  Medicine,  Pediatrics  and  Psychology  at  Associate  Director  for  Academic  Programs  at  DRI        Darrell  M  Wilson,  MD  (Stanford  University  and  the  Lucile  Packard  Children's  Hospital)  Professor  and  Chief,  Pediatric  Endocrinology  and  Diabetes    

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Ginger  Vieira  (www.Living-­in-­Progress.com)  Type  1  diabetes  advocate,  vlogger,  author  and  health  coach.      Lee  Ann  Thill,  MA,  ATR-­BC,  LPC  (www.thebuttercompartment.com)  Type1  diabetic  for  32  yrs,  blogger,  art  therapist,  diabetes/mental  health  advocate,  artist.    Mariela  Glandt,  MD  Endocrinology  Department,  Bronx-­Lebanon  Hospital    Gonzalo  Bacigalupe,  EdD,  MPH  International  Health  Council  Representative  at  ,  Ikerbasque  Research  Professor,  Associate  Editor  at  Family,  Systems,  &  Health    Sysy  Morales  (TheGirlsGuidetoDiabetes.com)  Encouraging  10,000  women  with  diabetes  to  live  their  best  life  every  month  

 Kitty  Castellini,  Founder,  President  &  CEO  (Diabetes  Living  Today®)  National  Broadcast  News  on  Diabetes  for  120,000  with  diabetes  

 Kathy  White  (kathy-­mynewislets.blogspot.com)  Islet  cell  transplant  recipient  

 Anne  Findlay  (annetics,  Team  Type  1  cyclist)  Advocating  for  healthier  living  through  exercise  for  people  with  diabetes    Gretchen  Becker  (www.gretchenbecker.com)    Author  of  "The  First  Year:  Type  2  Diabetes"    

 Cheryl  Alkon  Author  of  Balancing  Pregnancy  With  Pre-­Existing  Diabetes:  Healthy  Mom,  Healthy  Baby    Ronnie  Gregory  (www.thepoordiabetic.com)    Erin  D.  O'Neill  Argueta  (www.edonadesigns.blogspot.com)  Living  creatively  for  over  39  years  with  Type  I  Diabetes    Cara  Richardson  (countrygirldiabetic.blogspot.com)  Every  Day,  Every  Hour,  Every  Minute    Cheri  Pate  (princessladybug.blogspot.com)  

Michael  Robinton  (Insulin  Pumpers)  Executive  Director  

 

39sectIon 4: resources, tooLs AnD pubLIcAtIonsIDF - Calling the World to aCtion on diabetes: an adVoCaCY toolKit 39

J. ncd AlliAnce proposed oUTcomes docUmenT – pAGe 1

Proposed Outcomes Documentfor the United Nations High-Level Summit

on Non-Communicable Diseases

We, the NCD Alliance, request Governments of the world at the UN High-level Summit on NCDs taking place 19-20th September 2011 to commit to:

Prevention

• AcceleratetheeffectiveimplementationoftheFrameworkConventiononTobaccoControl.

• Establisheffectivepopulation-wideprevention,earlydetection,screeningandawareness-raisingprogrammesforNCDstargetinghigh-riskpopulationsby2020,including,butnotlimitedto:

oBy2018,reducethemortalityandmorbidityofgastric,colorectal,breast,cervicalcancer;diabetes;andcardiovasculardiseases(includingheartdiseaseandstroke)byincreasingearlydetectionprogrammes.oBy2018,implementnationalimmunisationstrategiesforHPVandHBVforpopulationsathighriskandstrategiestopreventrheumaticfevertoavertrheumaticheartdisease.oReduceoreliminateenvironmental(includingindoorairpollution),occupationalandothercontextualriskfactorsassociatedwithNCDs.

• Implementglobalandnationaltradeandfiscalmeasurestoprovideincentivesforproduction,distributionandmarketingofvegetables,fruitandunprocessedfood.

• By2013,developandimplementcomprehensivestrategiestodecreasechildhoodobesity,andeliminateallformsofmarketing,particularlythoseaimedatchildren,forfoodshighinsaturatedfats,trans-fats,saltandrefinedsugarsby2016.

• By2013,developandimplementregulatorymeasurestoachievesubstantialreductionsinlevelsofsaturatedfats,trans-fats,saltandrefinedsugarsinprocessedfoods.Aimtoreduceworldwidesaltintaketolessthan5g/daypercapita(2,000mgsodium/day)by2025.

• Developandimplementpoliciesforurbandesigntoincludesafeopenspacesandencouragewalking,cyclingandotherphysicalactivities.

• Developandimplementcomprehensivestrategiestodecreasetheharmfuluseofalcohol,inparticular,amongyouth.

Leadership

• ImplementtheWHO2008-2013ActionPlanfortheGlobalStrategyforthePreventionandControlofNCDs;GlobalStrategyonDiet,PhysicalActivityandHealth;andtheGlobalStrategytoReducetheHarmfulUseofAlcohol.

• IncludeNCDsintheglobaldevelopmentgoalsthatsucceedtheMillenniumDevelopmentGoalsin2015.

• By2016,60%ofcountriesimplementanationalNCDsActionFramework,aCoordinatingAuthorityandacountry-levelMonitoringandEvaluationSystemanddevelopnationalhealthplanswithspecificobjectivesandtargetsfortheprevention,earlydetection,treatmentandcareofNCDs.

• Develop,implement,monitorandevaluatestrategiesaddressingNCDsengagingthewholeofgovernment,theprivatesectorandcivilsocietyandadopta‘healthinallpolicies’approachwhereallmajorpoliciesandcapitalprojectsaresubjecttoahealthimpactassessment.

• EstablishaUNinteragencycoordinationmechanismonNCDsby2012.

• Establisha‘StopNCDsPartnership’withintheUNsystemtocoordinatefollow-upactiononUNSummitcommitmentsworkingwithgovernments,NGOsandtheprivatesector.

• EstablishaUNDecadeofActiononNCDs2012–2022toimplementtheOutcomesDocumentandensurethatby2016,85%oftheworld’spopulationhaveaccesstoinformation,educationandservicestoreducetheirvulnerabilitytoNCDs.

• ReduceNCDdeathratesbyatleast2%perannum.

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs):Cancer,cardiovasculardisease,chronicrespiratorydiseaseanddiabetes,andthefoursharedriskfactorsoftobaccouse,unhealthydiet,physicalinactivityandtheharmfuluseofalcohol,asidentifiedbytheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO).

40 sectIon 4: resources, tooLs AnD pubLIcAtIonsIDF - Calling the World to aCtion on diabetes: an adVoCaCY toolKit40

Human Rights / Vulnerability

• Accelerate approaches to address the social determinants of NCDs, including malnutrition, and reduce the vulnerability of women, children, indigenous peoples and populations at particularly high risk.

• By 2016, implement NCD screening into maternal and child health programmes.

• Implement legislation, policies and public awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and discrimination associated with NCDs.

w w w . n c d a l l i a n c e . o r g

Diagnostics and Treatment

• Ensure universal access to affordable high-quality essential NCD medicines and medical technologies including, but not limited to:

o Diagnostic technologies, radiotherapy and cancer medicines by 2020. o Anti-hypertensives, statins, aspirin and penicillin by 2015.o Insulin and other diabetes medicines, and diabetes diagnostic and monitoring technologies by 2015.o Good-quality, affordable asthma inhalers by 2012.

• Provide improved access to high quality palliative care, including opioid analgesics, for those suffering from pain associated with NCDs.

• By 2013 develop and implement strategies to address NCD treatment and care in emergencies, natural disasters and conflicts.

Health Systems

• By 2015, establish and strengthen national health information systems (including registries) for monitoring and evaluation of NCDs and risk factors and morbidity/mortality statistics by cause.

• By 2016, 60% and by 2020 80% of countries to develop strategies to integrate health-system management of NCDs, especially at primary health care levels.

• Strengthen national and community-based health systems to ensure continuity of care and support through to effective referral by 2020.

• Develop and implement strategies to strengthen human resources for health, including public health and community health workers, to ensure equitable access to NCD prevention, early detection, treatment and care.

Resources

• Allocate sufficient funds to the United Nations and member states to support the implementation of the UN Summit Outcomes Document.

• Develop and implement innovative financing mechanisms for NCDs at global and country level.

• Leverage existing essential medicine procurement mechanisms and develop new solutions to provide access to affordable NCD medicines and technologies.

• Increase the percentage of national health budgets allocated to NCDs.

• By 2012, bilateral donor agencies and multilateral organisations to support NCD programmes in low- and middle-income countries.

Research

• Encourage, increase and accelerate research on NCD causes and cures, including longitudinal research into the ‘early origins’ of NCDs.

• Encourage operational research on prevention, treatment and management of NCDs.

Monitoring / Follow up

• By 2012, establish a high-level Commission on Accountability for Action on NCDs with representatives from government, donors, multi-lateral institutions, civil society and the private sector to ensure ongoing monitoring of commitments from the UN Summit.

• Every year devote time at the UN General Assembly to review a report from the Secretary General on progress, and conduct a high-level review of progress in 2016.

To comment on this Proposed Outcomes Document and get more information about the NCD Alliance, please visit:

NCD Alliance UN Summit Partners American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Framework Convention Alliance,

Global Health Council, LIVESTRONG, Norwegian Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation.

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