Response from Clare Rosenfeld, Eugene, Oregon, US (type 1 diabetes): Diabetes is and will continue to be a major issue in the world economy, in global politics and at the humanitarian level. I think it is very reasonable to prioritise diabetes as it is one of the four leading causes of death due to chronic disease worldwide, after cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory disease. Diabetes may not be a communicable disease, but it is a worldwide epidemic that is growing and will continue to affect more and more people. Diabetes is a health crisis that societies should face sooner rather than later. Everyone in the world is going to be somehow affected by diabetes; a family member, a friend or a colleague may have diabetes. And even if people do not know anyone directly affected by diabetes, I think everyone should be able to understand the value of the life of another human being and the importance of keeping people alive and healthy. The only way we are going to get people to understand why diabetes needs their advocacy is through education. I believe education is so important for people with diabetes, for families of people with diabetes, for the general public and for policymakers who hold the future of public healthcare in their hands. Education is also the role of companies; they should do more than simply sell their products because treating diabetes is about so much more than simply taking insulin or a pill. It is also about getting the right psychological support. I remember getting my diagnosis of type 1 diabetes at age seven, sitting on the hospital bed and wondering, “Why did this happen to me? What did I do wrong?” It is so easy to feel angry and depressed and to give up on yourself. That is why I believe so passionately in educating, supporting and mentoring each other. Soon after my diagnosis I met another young girl with diabetes and she, like so many others, taught me how to make something positive out of a negative situation. It makes sense that the role of educator should be held by young people like me. We are the voices of the next generation. Some day we will be the politicians and we will be the scientists and we will be the parents raising children. If we have been properly educated about what makes a society truly healthy Clare Rosenfeld is a 17-year-old high school student who lives in Eugene, Oregon, US, and has had type 1 diabetes since the age of seven. At age 12 she defined and created The National Youth Advocacy Program for the American Diabetes Association and served as its first national youth advocate. In 2002, she founded the International Diabetes Youth Advocacy Group which currently has over 200 volunteers from 28 countries, with the mission of raising awareness about diabetes. | 
