Denny Chimes to be lit blue for World Diabetes Day Monday

Denny Chimes on the University of Alabama Quad

TUSCALOOSA, Al.
Denny Chimes on the University of Alabama Quad will be lit blue Monday to raise awareness about diabetes.

The landmark will join hundreds of monuments and buildings across the world that will be lit blue for the World Diabetes Day monument challenge.

Mary Elizabeth Halliday, a UA senior majoring in nutrition, approached Milla Boschung, dean of the College of Human Environmental Sciences, with the idea to include Denny Chimes in the monument challenge. Halliday was told about the global event by a person close to her who lives with type 1 diabetes.

"By lighting up Denny Chimes in blue, the color of the World Diabetes Day logo circle -- which is the global symbol of diabetes -- we will be combining with the efforts of the rest of the world to capture the attention of those around us about the need for education and awareness to stop this growing diabetes epidemic," Halliday said.

Halliday said she hopes the color blue will bring attention to diabetes in a similar way to how pink is associated with breast cancer.

According to 2009 data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, over 12 percent of Alabamians have been diagnosed with diabetes and thousands of people are unaware that they have the disease. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the state.

"Unless we do something about it then these numbers will only increase as time goes on," Halliday said. "The more we promote diabetes awareness then the more people will become educated on its risks, causes, and prevention measures."

Students have also organized an event Sunday at the University of Alabama soccer fields in which attendees will form a circle of blue and take photos for World Diabetes Day.