(NAPSA)—Jerry Mathers, former star of the popular 1950s and 60s TV show “Leave It To Beaver,” was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1996. At the time, Mathers was operating a catering service, and the combination of no exercise and being aroundfoodall day contributed to his gaining about 40 pounds. Mathers had no warning signs of diabetes. But because of his weight gain, his physician urged him to have a fasting blood-sugartest, which confirmed he had type 2 diabetes. At the time of his diagnosis, the range of Mathers’ day-to-day blood-sugar test results ran from 350 to as high as 500 mg/dL. (The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes keep their blood-sugar between 90 and 130 mg/dL before meals and less than 180 mg/dL after meals.) Despite his high blood-glucose levels, Mathers did not take his diagnosis seriously at first. His wake up call, however, came when his doctor asked him if he wanted to be around to see his kids graduate from college and get married. When she followed with the warning that—if he didn’t get his diabetes under control—he could be dead in three to five years or at risk for serious complications, Mathers realized he needed to do something to manage his blood-sugar levels. Mathers’ story is a familiar one. Two-thirds of the more than 13 million Americans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have blood-sugar levels that are out of control. But even though people with diabetes may be awareofthe risks of uncontrolled blood-sugar levels—many can feel overwhelmed and discouraged by the daily requirements of diabetes management, which can lead them to give up on testing their blood sugar. In fact, each year, 25 percent of those who were new to testing the year before, abandon blood-sugar testing altogether—possibly because they find it too complicated. To help such patients overcome A new blood-glucose meter can help simplify testing for people with diabetes, like actor Jerry Mathers. this barrier of complexity, some companies are developing simpler products, like the new OneTouch UltraMini™ Blood Glucose Monitoring System, which just pro- vides patients an accurate test result in 5 seconds. “When I was first diagnosed with diabetes about ten years ago, I would have definitely appreciated a meter that’s as easy to use as the OneTouch UltraMini,” stated Jerry Mathers. “Like me, some people are not electronics whizzes and they prefer simple devices that do only one thing. This meter has an easy-to-read screen that just gives you an accu- rate blood-sugar test result in 5 seconds—plain and simple.” The meter, available in pharmacies, also comes complete with “Simple Start DIABETES + FOOD,” a patient-friendly booklet which explains the basics of diabetes, carbohydrate management, portion control and more. Today, Mathers reports that his diabetes is under excellent control. He also urges others with diabetes to look ahead to the future by testing and controlling their blood-sugar levels now in order to reduce their risk for serious diabetes complications in the future. For more information, visit www.OneTouchUltraMini.com.
