Diabetes affects our blood vessels and nerves and therefore can affect any part of the body. However, certain parts of our body are affected more than other parts.
I don't think dogwoods have (much?) scent, maybe just lightly floral. The white petally looking things are not actually petals they are bracts, like a poinsettia has. There's something called an English dogwood that is very fragrant, but it isn't a true dogwood and is also known as mock orange. Bradford pears have a smell that this author described as sweaty socks, so if your tree doesn't smell very good that's probably it: http://www.gardenguides.com/106133-dogw ...
Dogwood Trees. Almost every State grows flowering dogwood trees as native plants to their location. Many cities proclaim themselves as 'The Dogwood Tree City,' and festivals often are promoted during the spring when a spectacular flowering event begins. Flower buds are formed in the fall season, along with clusters of red berries, containing dogwood seed from previous seasonal blooms.