Medical Minute: Surviving Diabetes in a Disaster

Fair

Temp: 2.0 F (-16.7 C)

Wind Chill: -16 F (-27 C)

More Weather

Wausau Downtown Airport, WI

Back to HomePage
Updated: 3:30 PM Oct 13, 2005 Medical Minute: Surviving Diabetes in a Disaster Diabetics struggle daily to maintain a healthy way of life, in the best of circumstances. For the victims of Hurricane Katrina, that daily task is made much more difficult. Posted: 4:06 PM Sep 8, 2005 Reporter: Paige Lambrecht Medical Minute: Surviving Diabetes in a Disaster

Font Size:

It goes without saying that a diabetic who takes daily shots of insulin is in trouble without it, but diabetics still in flooded areas of New Orleans and Mississippi are facing a whole other danger.

The waters that sat in the city of New Orleans for more than a week became extremely contaminated, putting even healthy people at risk for infection and disease.

Type one diabetes is an autoimmune disorder which means a diabetic’s body can't fight bacteria as well as a non-diabetic.

Diane Walker, an Aspirus diabetes educator, says, "These people are at much higher risk for infection and in an emergency state, they may not have the proper first aid materials to prevent a minor cut from developing into a full-blown and dangerous infection for a diabetic."

Luckily, water is now flowing out of New Orleans, and rescue workers are getting to most of the marooned residents, but diabetes specialists like Walker say natural disasters can strike anywhere, and even here in Wisconsin she recommends all diabetics put an emergency kit together with extra insulin, food and first aid materials now. It could save your life later.