Dr Cory Couillard

The rate of developing diabetes has increased by 700 percent in the last five decades. Unfortunately there are more than 366 million people that currently have diabetes in the world and another 300 million at risk according to the International Diabetes Federation’s (IDF) statistics. Healthy lifestyle factors that include diet, regular physical exercise, avoiding tobacco and maintaining a normal body weight can prevent, delay and even treat the effects of the most common causes of diabetes. Cardiovascular Disease & Diabetes Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of 50 percent of preventable death associated with diabetes.   It is estimated that people that have type 2 diabetes can expect to shorten their life 5-10 years on average.   The younger the diagnosis, the greater the amount of years lost.   Type 2 diabetes also increases the risk of suffering a stroke. Statistics show that an individual is two to four times more likely with the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.  

The World Blood Donor Day that was on 14 June 2012 and was marked with events around the world to raise awareness for the need of safe blood and blood products.   In many countries throughout the world and Africa the supply of safe, quality blood are at dangerously low levels.   “Today, in 62 countries, national blood supplies are based on 100% (or more than 99.9%) voluntary unpaid blood donation. However, 40 countries still depend on family donors and even paid donors and collect less than 25% of their blood supplies from voluntary unpaid blood donors” according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The goal of the World Health Organization is for all countries to be able to obtain sufficient blood supplies entirely through voluntary unpaid donors by 2020.   The transfusion of blood helps save and prolong the lives of millions of people every year.   It can help improve longevity and quality of life for patients suffering from life-threatening health conditions and impro