Temple University School of Pharmacy (TUSP) students have erected a billboard at 15th and Vine Streets in Center City as part of “Operation Diabetes,” a project designed to raise awareness and increase early detection of the disease. The prevalence of diabetes is at least 2 to 4 times higher among Hispanics and African-Americans. While an estimated 14.6 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes, 6.2 million are unaware that they have it. Early detection helps prevent long-term complications of diabetes such as blindness, kidney failure, and amputation. The pharmacy students are also offering diabetes screenings at health fairs, nursing homes and pharmacies. The American Pharmacists Association and the Academy of Student Pharmacists’ chapter at TUSP, helped fund these efforts.