The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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PUBLISHED: May 8, 2008
We need the Healthy Michigan Fund restored
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Most people don't realize that chronic diseases are the most common, costly and preventable forms of illness.
According to the Center for Disease Control, chronic diseases affect almost half of our population and consume 75 percent of our health care dollars. Given these sobering statistics, I am troubled that the Michigan Senate voted to cut the Healthy Michigan Fund, which serves as the main source for almost all state sponsored disease prevention programs, by almost 50 percent.
As a person with diabetes, whose kidney failure could have been prevented, I am passionate about restoring the Healthy Michigan Fund and maintaining state-funded diabetes and kidney disease prevention and management programs.
These programs are evidence-based and provide positive outcomes in communities and health care systems. Programs focus on diabetes prevention through lifestyle changes and provide self-management training to those with diabetes, which can reduce the complications of blindness, amputation, kidney disease/failure, heart attack and stroke.
In Michigan in 2006, the leading causes of kidney failure were diabetes (42 percent) and high blood pressure (29 percent). Healthy Michigan Fund programs target diabetes and high blood pressure management because kidney failure caused by diabetes and high blood pressure can be prevented or delayed.
If the Healthy Michigan Fund is not restored, these programs, along with many others, will be lost.
Chronic disease prevention is cost effective and a worthwhile use of state funds. We must convince our legislators to restore the Healthy Michigan Fund, and maintain disease prevention and management programs.
I am going to contact my state representative and state senator and encourage them to restore the Healthy Michigan Fund, and maintain diabetes and kidney disease programs. I hope you will do the same.
Sally Joy
National Kidney Foundation of Michigan
Ann Arbor
Farmers' market was missing someone special
Saline Farmers' Market opened Saturday, but it wasn't the same without Jim Beal being there.
(Editor's Note: Jim Beal died April 30 at the age of 87. Read his obituary on Page 3-D)
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