"Diabetes is the Rodney Dangerfield of diseases," said Robert Frank, MD, professor of ophthalmology and leading researcher in diabetic retinopathy. "It affects nearly five percent of the US population and takes an enormous toll on death and disability. Yet federal funding for research in diabetes is among the lowest of the major diseases in this country. Diabetes gets no respect."
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Dr. Waller and Morris Hood discuss the impact of diabetes on the community. |
That is finally changing, thanks to a $3 million commitment from the State of Michigan to establish the Wayne State University Morris Hood, Jr. Comprehensive Diabetes Center. (See related story about Morris Hood, Jr., for whom the center is named.) The goals of the new center are:
-to improve the health of the citizens of Michigan with programs for prevention, early detection, screening, and disease management;
-to provide education for health care professionals and the public; and
-to perform research on the causes, treatments and disease management of diabetes mellitus.
"At least 250,000 people in the Detroit metropolitan area have diabetes, and the incidence in Michigan is higher than the national average" said George Grunberger, MD, director of The Detroit Medical Center (DMC)/WSU diabetes program, president of the Michigan Affiliate of the American Diabetes Association, and professor of internal medicine at WSU. "With this initiative, we will be able to reduce the suffering and cost of this disease."
A formal announcement and naming ceremony for the diabetes center took place in September, in conjunction with WSU President Irvin Reid’s inaugural activities. Wayne State administrators and faculty members extended great thanks and recognition to Morris Hood, Jr. and other key legislators who were critical in supporting and securing the $3 million appropriation for the Wayne State University School of Medicine.
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Morris Hood and Mildred Jeffrey show their support for a comprehensive diabetes center at Wayne State University. |
The interim director for the diabetes center is John Crissman, MD, who is currently leading a search for a permanent director. Dr. Crissman and his team are coordinating scientific and clinical activities so that diabetes experts throughout the campus can work more comprehensively than ever before.