Allan L. Pashcow is a managing partner and owner of Town Realty, Co., LLC, in Roslyn Heights, New York. He joined the residential apartment management firm in 1988. When he is not managing leadership responsibilities at the firm, such as budgeting and overseeing on-site property staff, Allan L. Pashcow serves on the board of directors of the Diabetes Research Institute.
The Diabetes Research Institute operates with an overriding mission of curing both forms of the disease: type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes referred to as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, which is a chronic condition defined by an inability of the pancreas to create sufficient quantities of the hormone insulin. In some cases, individuals living with type 1 diabetes are completely incapable of producing their own insulin.
Without proper insulin levels, cells throughout the body cannot absorb glucose, which is used to produce energy. The conversion of glucose to energy is a critical process in maintaining healthy levels of sugar in the bloodstream. Common symptoms of the disease include chronic fatigue and frequent urination, though more severe symptoms range from nerve damage to the development of heart and blood vessel disease.
As the name suggests, juvenile diabetes occurs during childhood. The exact cause is unknown, though genetics and family history are thought to play a role in the progression of the disease. By comparison, type 2 diabetes, or adult-onset diabetes, occurs later in life. The symptoms are largely the same and while the exact cause of type 2 diabetes is also unknown, overweight sedentary individuals are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
