Caroline Buse is a fifteen-year-old sophomore student in the US. Like many young women her age she enjoys a full and active life, balancing the rigours of school work with her many other interests. A typical North-American teenager you might think, but Caroline has just convinced the State of North Carolina to issue a state-wide proclamation in support of World Diabetes Day.

While she doesn't have diabetes herself, Caroline has grown up very aware of diabetes and its consequences. "Diabetes awareness is important to me," says Caroline, "and I believe it should be important to everyone. It's a life-threatening disease - a global epidemic. I am always shocked to discover just how misunderstood the condition is among my friends and the other people I talk to."

Involvement in diabetes advocacy has been a near life-long calling for Caroline. As she put it: "Being involved in diabetes has practically become the fate of all my family members."

Caroline's father is President of the American Diabetes Association. Her grandparents also worked in diabetes care. As a consequence, she feels fortunate to have learned the dangers of diabetes and the importance of addressing it early on. "Unlike the threat of cancer or heart-attacks, people do not consider diabetes a fatal disease and therefore do not always take the necessary steps to maintain good health to prevent diabetes and its complications or seek care when they should."

For Caroline, spreading awareness about diabetes and its complications is an important mission for the younger generation. So much so, in fact, that she asked the Governor and the Mayor's offices for a proclamation to be signed.

Caroline's father is proud of his daughter and acknowledges her achievement, but for John Buse there is a lesson to be learned and an example to be followed: "Caroline is a highly motivated advocate for diabetes. There is, however, an important underlying message here. If a fifteen-year-old, using just the internet and a telephone, can raise awareness to this level, I'm sure that others can follow."

This is a tremendous example for all of us. The tireless efforts of volunteers at the American Diabetes Association and other diabetes representative organization in the US and elsewhere can help bring diabetes out of the shadows and make a difference for the 246 million living with diabetes worldwide."

Emulate Caroline's achievement. Find out more on our proclamations page.

Posted on Fri, 04/25/2008 - 17:01