When bill hill of Sherman Oaks decided to splurge on two pairs of expensive loafers, he trusted the shoe clerk to fit him correctly.
He has to; as a diabetic for 20 years, the 70-year-old Hill has neuropathy, a common nerve disorder of diabetes mellitus that can lead to the loss of sensation in the feet and other parts of the body.
As a result, he was unaware he had developed an ulcer on his right foot from the ill-fitting shoes until it was almost too late.
He quickly went to the Providence Diabetic Foot Center in Burbank, where a doctor gave him strong antibiotics, removed the dead skin tissue from his foot, and made a mark on Hill's ankle.
The wound eventually healed, but Hill learned how dangerous foot abrasions can be for diabetics.
In fact, diabetic foot wounds are the leading cause of nontraumatic foot amputations in the United States.
The disease disproportionately affects Latinos, African-Americans, American Indians and Asian/Pacific Islanders --- communities that represent 67 percent of the population in Los Angeles County.
Nationwide, efforts are under way to combat the disease.
Andros was co-chairman of last month's Global Diabetic Foot Conference in Hollywood, an international symposium that attracted hundreds of physicians, podiatrists, surgeons, nurses and diabetic educators.
Andros says the number of amputations can be reduced dramatically with better, faster diagnosis of foot problems and more frequent use of bypass surgery to help heal dangerous foot wounds.
"Diabetics get a unique blockage (of circulation) below the knee and above the ankle.
"We all have to care about it and do something in our own lives, in our own homes and our own communities and schools to help prevent it.