For Diabetes: A Call to Congress

UNC School of Medicine professor and nurse practitioner Kate Bergamo joined diabetes advocates in the annual Call to Congress.

Kate Bergamo, RN, MSN, FNP-C, a nurse practitioner at the UNC Diabetes Care Center and faculty member in the division of endocrinology in the department of medicine, participated in the American Diabetes Association's Call to Congress, where people with diabetes and advocates visit their representatives in Congress every other year to advocate for issues that affect millions of people with the disease.

Bergamo, who is highly involved in UNC's leading diabetes clinical trials and inpatient and outpatient care, was asked to participate in the Call the Congress through a selective application process. Bergamo was a group leader in meetings with Senate and House offices for North Carolina and South Carolina to advocate for insulin affordability, for increased federal funding for diabetes research, and for insurance coverage for people with diabetes to be maintained or improved with changes in the Affordable Care Act.

"There have been decades of research and dedication by so many to develop medications and technology to improve the quality of life for people with diabetes," Bergamo said. "Now these need to be made more available and affordable. Research must also continue to be funded until diabetes is cured and prevented. The future of our nation's health is at stake with new estimates that 1 in 3 people in the United States will have diabetes or pre-diabetes by 2050."

Diabetes is a treatable disease that affects about 30 million people in the United States. Without proper control of the disease, it can lead to severe, chronic symptoms and complications. It is closely linked heart disease and stroke, among other serious conditions.

Check out ADA Call to Congress for more information.