I hope all my fellow bobcats are enjoying their new classes this semester! This past week, you all might have seen the different clubs tabling out on Scholars Lane. I decided to write about the club that I am proud to be a part of, United Pancreas! We meet this Thursday, September 8^th, at 7 pm in COB 2 110!

First of all, what is type 1 diabetes?

To first understand what type 1 diabetes is, it is important to first familiarize yourself with the pancreas, and its role. The pancreas is a major organ in the human body that produces insulin. Insulin is needed to help manage our body’s glucose (sugar) levels. So, when we consume food, insulin is secreted by the pancreas to make sure our body’s sugar levels stay regulated. In a typical human body, insulin is produced regularly and naturally. With type 1 diabetes, this is not the case. Type 1 diabetes is a medical condition in which the pancreas is unable to produce insulin, or can only produce a small amount. Type 1 diabetes is genetic and is often diagnosed in childhood/adolescent years. For individuals with type 1 diabetes, they usually need to actively monitor their sugar levels and inject themselves with insulin continuously throughout the day. Thanks to new advancements in this field, many type 1 diabetics use a pump that delivers insulin to the body. Many diabetics are able to live a healthy and normal life as long as they take care of themselves. Note that type 1 diabetes is different from type 2 diabetes, in which the body makes too much insulin.

So… What is our club about?

United Pancreas is a club here at UC Merced that is a chapter of the College Diabetes Network. Our club is dedicated to educating students and the community about Type 1 Diabetes and how it plays a huge role in the lives of those who have it. We also aim at making sure Type 1 Diabetes students know that they do have a support group here on campus! As stated on our page on Cat Life, our goal is to “create a college community where students will be able to excel in their health, personal, and scholastic accomplishments” (United Pancreas, Cat Life) All students are welcome to join, regardless if you are diabetic or not! I am proud to say that I am currently Treasurer of United Pancreas!

What do we do?

We have a lot of fun things planned for this year! From fundraising to volunteer opportunities, we are definitely looking forward to a semester full of fun activities! We definitely plan on reaching out more to our community and hope to offer our members the opportunity to volunteer for a variety of organizations and groups. We also hope to collaborate with other clubs on campus, and spread awareness about type 1 diabetes! Our first meeting will talk a lot about what our club has to offer, so be sure to go!

Our first meeting will be on Thursday, September 8^th, at 7 pm in COB 2 110!

I hope you all come and join to see what United Pancreas is all about! We are an open group and we are always open to new ideas and suggestions.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me at: jarroyo24@ucmerced.edu