Local Attorney Honored for Advocacy

Online, June 28, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Contact:
Aimee Casey
American Diabetes Association
205-870-5172 x 3070
205-470-4816
[email protected]
www.diabetes.org

LOCAL ATTORNEY HONORED FOR ADVOCACY

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The American Diabetes Association honored local Birmingham attorney Kira Fonteneau, of The Fonteneau Firm, for her continued contributions in the fight to stop diabetes at the national Community Volunteer Leadership Conference in San Diego last week. Fonteneau was awarded the ACT Advocacy Award in the Mid Markets region for her ongoing commitment to supporting the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and continuous efforts in affecting public policy to help benefit those with diabetes.

The ACT Advocacy Award is awarded annually to an individual volunteer who advances the Association's advocacy agenda to end discrimination against people with diabetes, and to improve access to quality, affordable health care.

Fonteneau, who has served on the board of the ADA of Alabama and Mississippi for over four years, has helped ensure Alabama school children with diabetes important health services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Commonly referred to as 'Section 504,' public schools, or any school with federal funding, are required by law to accommodate American students and their disabilities.

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ATTORNEY HONORED (pg. 2)

Under current Alabama law, only a registered nurse can give an injection to a child with diabetes. With school districts slashing budgets, school nursing positions are being eliminated or going unfilled which leaves children at risk when emergencies arise.

"What we would like to see happen in Alabama, is to have people who are not nurses be able to inject a child who has diabetes when an emergency arises," Fonteneau said. "With the realities of this economy, there needs to be some flexibility to tend to children with diabetes."

With proper training, willing teachers, staff or volunteers can give injections or test a child's blood sugar, Fonteneau says. Someone with training needs to be at every school. "If there's not a nurse at every school, there is still a child with diabetes. What do you do in an emergency,"?" Fonteneau asks. Having someone at school parents and children can rely on when their disability needs attention is something Fonteneau and the ADA continue to lobby for.

Nearly 26 million Americans suffer from diabetes. The American Diabetes Association continues to lead the fight to stop diabetes and improve the lives of all those affected by the disease. Founded in 1940, the ADA's mission is to prevent and cure diabetes, and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES or visit www.diabetes.org today.

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