AlohaCare has announced it will award six grants of up to $5,000 each to organizations to help Hawaii's diabetes patients because of the $600 million annual cost of medical care and lost productivity. AlohaCare offers
6 diabetes grantsStar-Bulletin staff
"By supporting innovative, health-related projects, AlohaCare is not only improving the detection, education and care management of diabetes, but also the quality of life for the people of Hawaii," said John McComas, AlohaCare chief executive officer.
Applicants for an AlohaCare Neighbors Grant must be nonprofit or have equivalent tax-exempt status and must demonstrate a collaborative, community-based approach to the detection, education and care management of diabetes.
Applications must be submitted by March 15.
They may be obtained by calling AlohaCare at 973-1650 or 800-434-1002 from the neighbor islands, or logging on to www.alohacarehawaii. org
Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in America and poses a rapidly growing health problem to Asian Americans, native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, AlohaCare said.
Dr. Rio Banner, AlohaCare medical director, said more than 86,000 Hawaii residents are estimated to have diabetes mellitus, but one-third are not aware they have the disease.
Left untreated, diabetes can lead to severe or fatal complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, nervous system disease, stroke, pregnancy complications and lower limb amputations.
AlohaCare is a state QUEST health plan serving more than 43,000 members on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.