City of Hope

Diabetes – See more Diabetic Information below…

Website: https://www.cityofhope.org/homepage
District 4-A1 Chairperson: Eric Cheung
Email: Lioneric4a1@gmail.com

City of Hope (COH) is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of people with cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses. The team of more than 5,000 includes researchers, associates, scientists, doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, graduate students, fundraising specialists, marketing professionals, volunteers, and support staff. They are all united by the desire to find cures and save lives.

Their mission is to transform the future of cancer care. Each day, City of Hope works to turn science into a practical benefit and hope into reality. COH accomplishes that by unifying the branches of biomedical research, treatment, and academia. Having scientists, treatment staff, and manufacturing facilities in close proximity, the treatment advances can travel from laboratory to patient with life-saving speed.

COH is expanding the main campus with many new facilitates, including in 2022, the Hope Village for patients who travel long distances for City of Hope’s treatment and clinical trials – completely free-of-charge. This greatly expands the reach and allows people to come who may not have been able to be patients due to their proximity to City of Hope. With over 30 locations in the Southern California area, this local network will continue to grow. Irvine, a second campus, is underway. City of Hope has acquired the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). This acquisition will expand City of Hope’s lifesaving work to approximately 115,000 patients each year. CTCA has major oncology networks and facilities in Arizona, Illinois, and Georgia.

Lions Clubs International has a long partnership with City of Hope. The City of Hope and Lions Clubs of California have partnered in the fight against diabetes. With the Lions Clubs Diabetes Innovation Fund at City of Hope, Lions are at the forefront of diabetes research. This fund has the potential to revolutionize diabetes treatment and find a cure for diabetic patients around the world. New researchers are being given grants every year. Attend City of Hope’s next event to learn more about these exciting research studies. Different individual and club recognition levels are available.

Website: https://ourhope.cityofhope.org/campaign/lions-district-4-a1/c235781

City of Hope and Lions Clubs International cordially invite you to celebrate their partnership. Kickoff events dates are being finalized for the end of July, 2022. NorCal kickoff is in Burlingame and SoCal is in Garden Grove. 

The Annual Lions Tribute Day is Sunday, March 26, 2023.

For further information, contact:

City of Hope
ATTN: Lion Carl Woody Legacy & Affinity Groups
1500 E. Duarte RD, Duarte CA 91010   
626-222-7409   cwoody@coh.org

Here’s a very informative video about City of Hope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvmeaMn1nCI

DIABETES INFORMATION

Lions Clubs International started having diabetes as a focus because diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Since a lot of people have not been diagnosed, it is a well-known silent killer. By bringing awareness, we are helping save lives. Two main bits of wisdom when researching about diabetes: 1) PEOPLE WITH DIABETES ARE NOT ALONE. 2) DIABETES IS NOT A DEATH SENTENCE. People with diabetes could live longer than people without diabetes; but despite medical advancement, people are not getting the benefits.

Here are some diabetes’ project ideas:

1.  Strides: Walk, run, dance, swim, or exercise – either in-person or virtual. Make it fun…a friend and family event. People are ready to come out of the house.

  • Example 1: Madera Breakfast and Madera Evening Lions Club present a Lions 5K Run/Walk. This activity will be held on April 2, 2022 from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Location: Lions Town and Country Park – Lions Town & Country Park, 2300 Howard Rd, Madera, CA 93637, USA. It’s put on to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Lions Service Clubs in Madera, California, and the Worldwide Discovery of Insulin. The Madera Evening Lions, in cooperation with the Madera Breakfast Lions, invite you to participate in “Running with the Lions” in beautiful Madera, California. Funds raised will assist with Diabetes Awareness projects and youth activities in Madera, California. Sign up at on the following link: runsignup.com/Race/CA/Madera/RunningWiththeLions
  • Example 2: Last October, Lion Eric Cheung pledged to walk a mile for every $20 donation to City of Hope.  Your club could set your own distance and donation.

2.  Blood glucose screening: This is a very meaningful project; since there are many people who have diabetes and don’t know it without being tested. 

It is not easy for people to be poked, so we should start with education and awareness. Keep in mind that a person could test their own glucose testing their whole life. But only a trained professional could do tests on other people. Please follow local regulations. Lots of healthcare professionals volunteered for administering the COVID-19 vaccine. They could be good source to help at a health fair event!

Merced County Binational Health Week: They could do blood glucose screening if we, as Lions, provide them the monitor and strips. Facebook: facebook.com/BHWMERCED/?business_id=328300001038974 Email: bhwmerced209@gmail.com

Look into getting a community grant or a donation from a big box store or pharmacy. Usually, they sell the glucose monitor at a low price, but the strips and lancets will up the cost.

3.  Diabetes peer support groups: There are at least two different diabetes support groups online.  Check with your local health department when the in-person groups are available.

  • Wednesday Wellness Diabetes Program – Virtual Meetups every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm. Contact Lion Eric for Zoom’s Invitation.
  • Diabetes Program at Memorial Care Long Beach Medical Center – On the second Monday of each month, 6pm-7:30pm, join them for a virtual support group for adults with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, as well as individuals using insulin pumps. Get support and interaction with peers on a variety of diabetes-related topics, including insulin-pump related issues. The support group is free, and significant others are welcome. Please call (562)933-5043 or email at: Lkerr@memorialcare.org for more information and to register. Zoom link will be provided after RSVP. Website: memorialcare.org/events/virtual-diabetes-support-group

4.  Diabetes camp program: MD4 Diabetes Chairperson Brian Ballard had Type 1 Diabetes at a very young age. He learned so much from a diabetes camp. Diabetes camp is more involved due to the medical staffs’ necessity to check campers’ sugar levels. Let Lion Eric know if you want to bring the diabetes camp to our district.

Meanwhile, your club could sponsor someone going to a Lions’ diabetes camp.
Northern California: northerncalifornialions.org/diabetescamp
Southern California: lionsdiabetescamp.org/

5.  City of Hope’s and Lions Clubs International’s collaboration to end Type 1 diabetes: Most researchers get funding from National Institute of Health, but NIH will not approve grants without promising data. Lions Club partners with City of Hope to raise innovation funds to provide seed grants to researchers so they can get data to initiate the path to find the cure. Multiple District 4 sets the goal of $500/year or $40 per month per club. They have the dollar canister and a website for each Lions club if we chose to donate online. (Currently, the dollar canisters are back-ordered.) Here’s our District 4-A1 Lions Diabetes Innovation Fund page: ourhope.cityofhope.org/campaign/lions-district-4-a1/c235781

6.  Other diabetes’ resources:

6. World Diabetes Day is November 14th: lionsclubs.org/en/start-our-global-causes/diabetes/world-diabetes-day Extra: March 22, 2022 was American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day. (Not a Lions’ event. Thanks, Lion Susan, for lots of good information.)

If you have any questions, or if your club would like a program presented to your club, please contact Eric Cheung at ddsericcheung@gmail.com or (209)683-0588.

This website is for information only. And it is not intended to serve as medical or professional advice. You should consult your physician or other health care professional before starting this or any other fitness program to determine if it is right for your unique needs.

November 2022 is Diabetes Awareness Month

NOTES FROM WORLD DIABETES DAY 2021

If you have diabetes or live with someone with diabetes, how are you being supported or how do you want to support someone?

Dr. Bill Polonsky is President of Behavioral Diabetes Institute. He is Associate Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego.  Check out Dr. Polonsky’s presentation to learn more:

People with Type 1 Diabetes cannot produce insulin. Dr. Lakey has been doing research to transplant insulin producing cells into people. Dr. Jonathan Lakey has had a long interest and research direction in cell and tissue transplantation with a focus on diabetes and islet transplantation. 

Check out Dr. Lakey’s presentation here:

What is the importance of continuous glucose monitoring and time in range?

Dr. Irl B. Hirsch is professor and Diabetes Treatment and Teaching Chair at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.

Check out the replay of this presentation by Dr. Hirsch:

Thank you, Mr. Garber, for sharing his experience with diabetes camp and discussion with Lion Brian about insulin cost. https://beyondtype1.org/

Victor Garber, is an award-winning actor who has lived with Type 1 Diabetes for close to 60 years. View Victor Garber’s YouTube Presentation: