The Diabetes Center at St. Luke's will host a Diabetes Information and Product Fair on Thursday, Nov. 9 from
5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in St. Luke's Atrium to educate Siouxlanders about the disease. The event is being held in recognition of November as National Diabetes Education Month.
Free to the public, the event serves to educate individuals of all ages about the latest news in diabetes care; free blood pressure checks and screenings will also be offered to those attending the fair.
According to the American Diabetes Association, 20.8 million people nationally have diabetes, and some 6.2 million cases remain undiagnosed. Overall, 7 percent of the nation's population has the disease. In just two years, the number of Americans living with diabetes increased by nearly 14 percent.
"Diabetes is on the rise here in Siouxland just as it is nationally, so education is key," says Grace Kavanaugh, Manager of St. Luke's Diabetes Center and a registered nurse certified in diabetic education by the American Association of Diabetic Educators. "St. Luke's is committed to helping individuals learn about the disease, develop appropriate eating habits, increase their activity level and take medication properly. Events like the product fair are just one way we can spread awareness of the importance of detecting diabetes early on and treating the disease through self-management."
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St. Luke's Diabetes Center serves as a resource for those living with diabetes. The center serves as a resource for self-management education, offering two new classes for Type 2 diabetics and their support persons each month. Individuals attend an initial session and then fit in sessions 2,3 and 4-offered on an ongoing basis-as their schedule allows. One class is offered on Mondays from 4 p.m. to
7 p.m.; the other class is offered on Thursdays from
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Diabetes Center staff is also able to accommodate individuals who require appointments after hours or until 6 p.m.
To encourage Siouxlanders to regulate their diabetes, the Diabetes Center provides individuals enrolled in their diabetes classes with glycosylated hemoglobin tests at no additional charge. The test, commonly referred to as an A1C test, is a good indicator of the effectiveness of an individual's diabetes treatment. Those enrolled in St. Luke's diabetes education receive an initial A1C test and then a follow-up test at 8 to 12 weeks.
Due in part to their innovative work with diabetes education, St. Luke's Diabetes Center was the first diabetes facility in Sioux City to receive American Diabetes Association (ADA) Recognition and the first to receive state recognition from Iowa.
In addition to ADA recognition,
St. Luke's is the only Sioux City facility to have been recognized nationally by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) for tracking treatment of persons with Type 2 diabetes.
St. Luke's and other Iowa Health System affiliates also received the Codman Award from JCAHO in 2002.
"A diagnosis of diabetes can be a real shock to the patient and their loved ones. We are committed to giving our patients the health information and emotional support they need to adapt their lifestyles to living with the disease. Our goal is always to teach patients about the steps they can take to manage their diabetes and live a health lifestyle," notes Kavanaugh.
During basic diabetes education classes, St. Luke's experts cover the basics of diabetes including how to monitor and keep blood glucose levels in check, medications, nutrition, exercise and other health-related topics. The importance of wearing medical identification is also discussed. To promote the use of identification, St. Luke's Diabetes Center offers medical bracelets for $1 each.
"We can't stress enough the importance of self-management education. It's an essential component of effective diabetes treatment because the more Siouxlanders know about the diabetes, the better they will be able to manage the disease," adds Kavanaugh. "We encourage people of all ages to attend Thursday's diabetes information fair to visit with St. Luke's professionals and learn more about the disease. People with diabetes can look forward to living a health life with the disease if they know the facts about diabetes."
Everyone is invited to attend St. Luke's Diabetes Information and Product Fair on Thursday beginning at 5 p.m. in St. Luke's Atrium. For more information on diabetes education through St. Luke's Diabetes Center, call Central Scheduling at (712) 279-7979.
