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 (Cornus varieties) are a group of deciduous trees grown mainly as small landscape specimens valued for. their beautiful spring show of flowers. Cornus florida and Cornus kousa are the two primarily grown species, although a. few others are also grown including a Pacific Northwest native, Cornus nuttallii.