"1 day, 1 cause, 1 goal," is the slogan assigned to the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) new fundraiser: "Step Out to Fight Diabetes." The big annual event is basically a retooled version of what the ADA used to call "America's Walk for Diabetes." The plan is to hold walks in two hundred American cities on various days over the course of a couple of weeks this coming fall.

So what's involved, you ask? It's a ten-mile walking course designed to be easy enough for about any fitness level. The twist: it requires some stair climbing. Philadelphia participants will climb ten staircases in landmark buildings, such as Philly's City Hall and the majestic front steps of the Philly Museum of Art (immortalized in the movie Rocky). Trotting up and downstairs, you're supposed to contemplate and be inspired by the "peaks and valleys" encountered by diabetics the world over.

The ADA has launched a very professional campaign to publicize "Step Out" with press releases and a snazzy website. You can register to participate on the website, and they'll send you a cute registration pack. You can also check out health stats, facts about the staircases involved in the event, and read true life diabetes stories on the site. By joining in, the ADA says you will be helping "find a cure" and also help raise awareness in your own community. To the former: maybe. To the latter: sure - awareness-raising is always a good thing.

Funding in support of the "Step Out" campaign comes courtesy of big-name, big-business donors like Kmart (Pharmacy), RiteAid, Wal-mart/Sam's Club, and Equal.

Two doctors from the UK warn athletes who take growth hormone in an effort to enhance their performance increase their risk of developing diabetes.

The doctors describe what they believe is the first reported case of diabetes associated with taking high doses of growth hormone. A 36-year-old professional body-builder was admitted to the emergency room and treated for chest pain. He told his doctors that in the past year he had lost 88 pounds and noticed that he had to urinate excessively and was constantly thirsty and hungry. The man admitted to using anabolic steroids for 15 years and high doses of growth hormone for the past 3 years. He said he went on insulin a year after starting growth hormone in an effort to counter the effects of high blood sugar, but he stopped taking insulin after a couple of episodes of sudden low blood sugar while at the gym. Tests showed that the man's liver was inflamed, his kidneys were enlarged and that he had very high blood sugar. He was also dehydrated, and was diagnosed with diabetes. He was admitted to the hospital, treated with intravenous fluids and insulin for five days and then sent home. His symptoms resolved completely, and he was no longer diabetic.

The use of growth hormone has become popular with athletes because it is easy to buy online and difficult to detect in screening tests, unlike anabolic steroids. The internet gives easy access to these drugs as well as the 'best' means to take them. The reporting doctors warn physicians should not dismiss such users as being naïve. They have extensive pseudo-medical knowledge. Sadly, the short term risks are instantly addressed. More concerning is the reality of long term complications. The efficacy of growth hormone for enhancing athletic performance is debatable. The conclusive suggestion is anyone taking high doses of growth hormone should get their blood sugar levels checked regularly.