Thursday, May 15, 2008
Health Focus to form diabetes support group
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Diabetes is a scary but increasingly prevalent disease.
Now, Health Focus of Southwest Virginia wants to help. The organization is forming a diabetes support group to offer guidance to people with diabetes and their caregivers.
"It's frightening. Even though there's a lot of literature out there, it's hard to change your lifestyle," said Lina Guilliams, programs coordinator of the organization at 3807 Brandon Ave. in Roanoke.
"The doctor might give them an eating plan and that's about it."
Organizers hope to demystify the disease, which is influenced by factors such as genetic predisposition, obesity and a lack of exercise.
Health Focus' staff decided to start the group after they sponsored a lecture about diabetes on April 10. Guilliams said many of the 30 attendees expressed interest in a support group.
The speaker at the event was Sally Southard, a pediatric nurse practitioner with Carilion Pediatric Pulmonology Clinic. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 10 and has lived with the disease for more than four decades.
"Almost everybody knows somebody with diabetes," Southard said. "It's just that prevalent."
She spoke about the differences between Type 1 diabetes and Type 2, which is increasingly common among overweight youths and can often be controlled by diet and exercise.
Southard also talked about how to manage the disease with medication and insulin shots, and showed off her own insulin pump, which she says has made her life much more normal.
"They help us live but there's still no cure," Southard said.
Guilliams said she wants to start the monthly group by June and plans to have it during the day for people who cannot attend support groups that meet at night.
"We just hope to get it off the ground and let them know they aren't the only ones," Guilliams said.
For more information, call Lina Guilliams at 774-4022, ext. 200, or e-mail lguilliams@healthfocusswva.org.
