Stikii Hits the Runway!

Vogue! Strike a pose. That is exactly what Stikii will was doing on  Saturday, June 16, 2012. This  past weekend Stikii will made its first trip down the catwalk in support of Diabetes Awareness. The red carpet event, cleverly titled “Rip the Runway” was dedicated to awareness for diabetes and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) of Northwest Ohio and SoutheastMichigan.

The mission of the ADA is “to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes”. The organization  funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes and delivers services to hundreds of communities. They also provide objective and credible information on the disease and give a voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes.

For those of you unfamiliar with diabetes, here is the 411. Diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there are high levels of sugar in the blood. These high blood glucose levels result from defects in the body’s ability to produce and/or use insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and is vital to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Diabetes can be cause by too little insulin production, resistance to insulin, or both.

 

There are three major types of diabetes, and the causes and risks of each type are different.

Type 1 Diabetes – Previously known as juvenile diabetes, Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Daily injections of insulin are needed to regulate blood sugar and the exact cause is unknown.

Type 2 Diabetes – Type 2 diabetes makes up the majority of diabetes cases. Millions of Americans have been diagnosed with the disease, and there are still many who are unaware that they are at risk. Groups with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes include African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and the elderly population. In type 2 diabetes, either the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the cells ignore what is produced. It most often occurs in
adulthood, but teens and young adults are now being diagnosed due to high obesity rates.

Gestational Diabetes – This form of diabetes can develop any time during pregnancy in women who do not have diabetes.

Some symptoms of diabetes include blurry vision, excess thirst, fatigue, frequent urination, hunger and weight loss. Type 2 diabetes includes all of the previously named symptoms as well as the possibility of frequent infections, cuts/bruises that are slow to heal, tingling/numbness in hands and/or feet, and recurring skin, gum or bladder infections.

It is possible to take care of your diabetes and lead a relatively normal and healthy life. Doctors will prescribe the patient with a special diet to help regulate blood sugar. Checking blood sugar on a regular basis as well as insulin injections are also types of treatments.  Exercise and foot care are especially important.

The 7th Annual Rip the Runway Fashion Show took things up a notch this year by giving designers the opportunity to battle their designs out on the runway! Stikii shoes adorned the feet of several young models during the show, which allowed us to show off and highlight the unique qualities or our shoes and their accompanying accessories. This was a great opportunity for us to show the community our product and to support an excellent cause.

The event kicked off with a reception from 5:30pm-6:30pm on Saturday, and the fashion show began at 7:00pm. Rip the Runway was held at Zodiac, 135 S. Byrne Rd, Toledo, OH. Check out the high fashion slideshow below to see just what we were up to!

 

 

Thanks to all who came out and showed  support for Stikii and Diabetes!