The Mission Chamber, it’s board and staff are all committed to not only business growth but the general health and wellness of our community. Debra Franco, a Mission Chamber Board Member, is the President and Founder of The South Texas Juvenile Diabetes Association. STJDA has filled a need in the community for families struggling with how to help their children.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and there is so much that can be done to raise awareness! Children with diabetes are a special group of individuals who live everyday with challenges unique to them. The South Texas Juvenile Diabetes Association has been working to enhance the lives of children with diabetes through personal empowerment, family support, community awareness and public advocacy throughout the Rio Grande Valley. November is a month  full of events and activities uniting communities across the world to bring awareness and advocacy to diabetes. Here is some of what is going on locally across the Rio Grande Valley.

• The Chase Tower will be lit all in BLUE in honor of Diabetes Awareness Month. It will remain BLUE the entire month of November to raise awareness.

• STJDA will be hosting “Stomp Out Diabetes” in several school districts across the Valley in an effort to raise awareness and prevent type 2 diabetes in our youth.

• November 14 was World Diabetes Day (WDD). Led by the International Diabetes Federation, the day united the global diabetes community to produce a powerful voice for diabetes awareness and advocacy. Many school districts throughout the valley went BLUE to raise awareness.

What can you do?

• Go BLUE! Consider wearing blue throughout the month to honor diabetes awareness. WDD 2016 is being marked all over the world by hosting an BLUE event (think of blue lighting, blue statues—virtually any creative way to go BLUE!

• Join social media efforts. Check out the STJDA Facebook page, follow their Twitter feed, watch YouTube videos and check out instagram photos. Hashtag to your heart’s content and jump on the social media bandwagon!

• Get involved and STAY involved. As a local diabetes organization, every month is about diabetes in our field. Find an interest and support an effort this November, but don’t stop there—keep it going the entire year.

For more information on the South Texas Juvenile Diabetes Association visit www.stjda.org