Community invited to 'Step Out' against diabetes
Dan Winters says he hopes the community will turn out in force Saturday to join in the fight to find a cure for diabetes.
Several events are planned for the Step Out to Stop Diabetes Walk, Run, Bike Ride and Expo at the Quechan Diabetes Walking Park located below Mission Hill, across from Gateway Park. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the events at 9 a.m.
On the same day, the two-day GM Classic professional bike race will start at the GM Test Track, followed by a road race in Wellton.
All events will raise money for the American Diabetes Association.
Winters, who has diabetes and whose wife, Christine, is the diabetes program coordinator at Yuma Regional Medical Center, said the events are to raise awareness of the seriousness of the disease.
“Statistics show Yuma County has the highest occurrence of diabetes in the state. Over 10 percent of people in Yuma have some form of diabetes. And for every person who has diabetes, two have pre-diabetes,” Winters said.
The Yuma Chapter of the American Diabetes Association is organizing the Step Out activities, in conjunction with the Quechan Tribe and Yuma Regional Medical Center,
“We're trying to raise money to help find a cure for diabetes. It's a disease that especially affects us here in the Southwest,” Winters said.
“We're getting very close to a cure. Significant research is being done at the University of Arizona and other places, where they are actually having positive results from procedures not yet covered by insurance. These could make the difference between life and death.”
Winters said about half of the national Medicare budget goes toward treating diabetes and its complications, such as dialysis and blindness. “A huge amount of money could be saved once a cure is found.”
The Step Out will kick off with the arrival of the Quechan Spirit Runners who will bless the event and lead the one-mile walk around the Diabetes Walking Trail.
The 5K run, jog or walk and a 20-mile bike ride will start at the same time. The route will take participants over the hill, down the dirt road on the levee and then back.
The expo will take place inside the park. It will include various vendors with diabetes-related information and products.
Attendees will have the opportunity to have their blood sugar tested at no cost by Sunset Community Health Centers.
Register online at diabetes.org or at the event. Minimum donation is $15, but participants are encouraged to go online and register a team and raise as much money as possible.
The GM Classic will take place Saturday and Sunday. Cash and prizes valued at more than $2,500 will be awarded.
The competitive cycling event will begin Saturday at 7 a.m. at the General Motors testing facility at Yuma Proving Ground. The first stage of the race will be a competitive time trial.
The last stage, the Wellton Road Race, will begin at 8 a.m. Sunday. Participants will run through the desert and farmlands of Wellton and eastern Yuma County.
Registration closes at noon Thursday. To register, go to bikereg.com. For more information on the event, go to yumabikeclub.org.
Mara Knaub can be reached at mknaub@yumasun.com or 539-6856.
