Diabetes orgs send insulin, glucose meters to Texas

Thousands of people in Texas have been displaced from their homes after Hurricane Harvey landed there last week, leaving many without life-saving medication and supplies. People with diabetes are especially vulnerable, since many require daily insulin injections and regular monitoring of their blood glucose levels.

In what they have described as a ‘landmark partnership’, the American Diabetes Association, JDRF and Insulin of Life have gathered and shipped more than 3,750 pounds of donated supplies to people with diabetes impacted by the catastrophic hurricane.

The group said they sent five pallets, each containing 200,000 syringes, 50,000 pen needles and 20,000 alcohol pads, to the Houston region. Each pallet also comes with packages of blood glucose meters and thousands of glucose test strips – enough for a person to test their blood sugar levels three times per day for two months.

More than 25,000 units of analogue and human insulins are slated to be delivered with each pallet, the group said, but that depends on temperature control conditions at the package’s destination.

One pallet is headed for distribution by the Houston Health Dept. to evacuees sheltered at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The second will be given out by Sen. Larry Taylor’s office to Galveston communities.

Two more pallets are being sent to the Harris County Health Dept. and the last pallet is headed to the city of Corpus Christi Health Dept.

The group added that they have secured four more pallets of donated diabetes supplies and are working to deliver these supplies to regions impacted by the hurricane as soon as possible.

The ADA launched a special web link earlier this week that includes information on available resources, including a live map of open shelters and recommendations on how to help someone who is experiencing a diabetes emergency.

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