What do actress Halle Berry, basketball player Adam Morrison, American Idol finalist Elliot Yamin and Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee have in common? They all have diabetes.

More than six million Americans have diabetes, but don’t even know it. Another 54 million Americans have pre-diabetes, placing them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Paris Regional Medical Center will host a free diabetes screening on Friday, April 11 from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. in Pavilion 3 at 2890 Lewis Lane in Paris. PRMC encourages people who carry the potential risk factors for type 2 diabetes–being overweight, physically inactive and over the age of 45 years—to attend the screening or schedule an appointment to see their doctor. African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are also at an increased risk, as are women who have had babies weighing more than nine pounds at birth.

“Unfortunately, people with type 2 diabetes can live for years without realizing that they have the disease,” said Lisa Allen RN, certified diabetes educator and clinical coordinator of Paris Regional’s diabetes self-management program.

While people with diabetes can exhibit noticeable symptoms, such as frequent urination, blurred vision and excessive thirst, most people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes do not show these overt warning signs at the time that they develop the disease. “Often, type 2 diabetes only becomes evident when people develop one or more of its serious complications, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye damage or nerve damage,” said Allen.

“The first step in controlling diabetes is proper diagnosis,” said Allen. “Stopping by our screening will help people make better decisions about how to treat this condition.”

For more information about the free screening or Paris Regional’s diabetes programs, contact Lisa Allen at 903-737-1620.