ST. JOHN’S HOSTS FREE DIABETES FAIR AT BATTLEFIELD MALL
10 A.M. – 4 P.M. jAN. 24, 2009
St. John’s will offer
free diabetes risk assessments, blood pressure and vision checks at its
annual Diabetes Fair 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 24 at the
Battlefield Mall, JC Penney East Court.
New this year is an
education stage open 10:30 a.m. – noon. Local diabetes educators and
patients will share their stories and advice on living with diabetes.
Limited seating is available. Also new is a children activity area
including face painting and a coloring contest.
“Doctors are seeing
diabetes diagnosed at earlier ages,” said Dr. Gregory Ledger, St John’s Clinic
endocrinologist. “Unfortunately, we are also seeing complications that
might have been easily avoided through early intervention and treatment
occurring at a younger age than ever before, having a significant impact
on quality of life.”
About one in three
people with diabetes are living with the disease, yet don’t know it. At
previous education fairs, St.
John’s clinicians have diagnosed people who had
symptoms, but were unaware they were diabetic.
About Diabetes:
Diabetes is a disease
in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a
hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into
energy for daily life. The cause of diabetes is a mystery, although both
genetics and factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play
a role. Nearly 8 percent of children and adults in the
United States have diabetes. Many are
unaware that they have the disease.
Diabetes can lead to
serious complications, including organ damage, blindness, kidney damage
and loss of limbs through amputation. People with diabetes can reduce
these complications by controlling their lipid and glucose levels and
taking care of their blood pressure.
Services at St. John’s:
Certified Diabetes
Educators provide a variety of services for all people with diabetes -
from newly diagnosed diabetics, to people who have had diabetes for many
years.
St. John's diabetes
self-management training and education programs include the latest
information on nutrition and meal planning, shopping for food, eating
out, medication, insulin administration, exercise, blood glucose
monitoring, managing blood sugar, psychological adjustment, prevention
of complications and insulin pumps.
Services are available for children and adults with Type 1, Type 2, or
gestational diabetes. For more information, please call 417-890-4100.
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