Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 115 Part 3.djvu/795

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PROCLAMATION 7507—NOV. 29, 2001 115 STAT. 2869 ilies. By undertaking more preventative efforts to help families in crisis, the prospects for children to live in a permanent home are enhanced. As we observe National Family Week, we must work to strengthen families in America as individuals and through Government and community-based organizations. This week serves to remind us of the values, security, and love that we give and receive in our families. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 18 through November 24, 2001, as National Family Week. I invite the States, communities, and people of the United States to join together in observing this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities to honor our Nation's families. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-sixth. GEORGE W. BUSH Proclamation 7507 of November 29, 2001 National Diabetes Month, 2001 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation During the past century, we have made significant progress in our fight against disease. Through public health campaigns and aggressive research, we have eliminated polio in the United States, reduced the harm of influenza outbreaks, and developed revolutionary new medications that provide relief and healing from many chronic and acute illnesses. However, effective treatments and cures to numerous other illnesses remain elusive and demand our continued attention and resources. One of the most prevalent and difficult of these is diabetes, which currently afflicts more than 16 million Americans. Diabetes can cause blindness, renal disease, severe nerve damage, heart disease, strokes, and even death. This year approximately 800,000 men, women, and children in the United States will develop diabetes, and health officials estimate that it will be a contributing factor in almost 200,000 deaths. The total economic cost for providing medical treatment for diabetes patients and for disability and deaths related to the disease is approximately $100 billion a year. More troubling are statistics indicating that more than 5 million Americans are unaware of their diabetic condition, seriously jeopardizing their long-term health and well-being. An additional 10 million citizens are at highrisk of developing type 2 diabetes due largely to physical inactivity, obesity, and poor diet. Recent scientific findings demonstrate that modest, consistent exercise and a healthy diet can curtail the risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals by nearly 60 percent. This information provides great hope in our ef-