KCPT to launch 'war on diabetes' with PBS documentary, public forum

UPDATE: Forum postponed. More information here.

Why isn't there a war on diabetes?

There's a disease going around...and it's killing more people than cancer and HIV combined.

Diabetes not only kills at a staggering rate, it’s one of the leading causes of leg and foot amputations, as well as blindness. In fact, it’s now predicted that one in three children born today will develop the disease.

Watch the Blood Sugar Rising preview here.

So why isn't there a war on diabetes?

KCPT is proud to partner with PBS on a new documentary film, Blood Sugar Rising, that puts a human face on diabetes and tracks efforts to control this deadly but often overlooked disease.

Millions of us live with this silent killer. It’s now predicted that one in three children born since 2000 will develop the disease. Blood Sugar Rising puts human faces to these statistics, exploring the history and science of the illness.

KCPT will present a public screening of the film March 24 at 6 p.m. at the Plexpod Westport Commons Medallion Theater, 300 E 39th Street. UPDATE: Due to coronavirus concerns, the forum is canceled. More information is at kcpt.org/events.

The documentary reveals new hopes, from the rise of safer and easier medical treatments to new discoveries about lifestyle and environmental factors. Blood Sugar Rising also reports on those taking action to improve diabetes management and prevention.

Immediately following the screening, KCPT’s Nick Haines will explore the impact of diabetes in Kansas City with experts on the frontlines of tackling this chronic health condition. One of the scheduled panelists is Jim Nunnelly who has rallied support for caregivers and hosts a weekly radio show on diabetes.

The Blood Sugar Rising program is a partnership between KCPT and Health Forward Foundation.