The Bryce Jordan Center, Mount Nittany Medical Center and the Centre County Courthouse, along with 921 buildings across 68 countries, were illuminated with a blue glow Saturday to show support for diabetes prevention and awareness.
These local buildings, along with famous monuments like the Empire State Building, the Tower of London and the Sydney Opera House were lit in commemoration of World Diabetes Day.
"Our main goal is getting diabetes awareness and helping those struggling with diabetes to get whatever resources they need," said Scott Owens, a founding member of the group organizing the local event.
The color blue symbolizes life, health and unity throughout the world and also represents the sky that unites all nations and organizations in their fight against diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Foundation's Web site worlddiabetesday.org
People Centre'D on Diabetes (PCOD), a local group of doctors, researchers and community members affected by diabetes, asked the owners of the local buildings to join in the worldwide effort to show support against diabetes.
"We hope it will make people think twice," PCOD member Chuck Anderson said.
The group was founded in the past year and works to "raise awareness for people who might be diabetic and don't know it, and people who think they might be diabetic and are scared," said Anderson, who was diagnosed with type-one diabetes when he was in college.
Anderson described his diagnosis as "scary" and said he feels a local group is necessary.
"It's really important because diabetes is really prevalent and there's a lot of misinformation out there," he said.
The group tried to clear up the misinformation surrounding diabetes by hosting a tailgate at the Indiana football game to provide information to the community.
At the tailgate, diabetic-friendly food was served and information on diabetes was available to passers-by. About a dozen people stopped by to get more information, Owens said.
Diabetic Matthew Owens (sophomore-human development and family studies) said it's nice to know that there's a support group available locally.
"I very much appreciate the emphasis they make to make it easier to live with diabetes," Owens said.
Mount Nittany Medical Center will continue to observe World Diabetes Month with a community discussion called "Diabetes in the 21st Century: Where are we, where are we going and why we all need to care," which will be held at Mount Nittany Medical Center at 7 tonight.
