As part of Diabetes Awareness Month, Rowan Regional Medical Center will be hosting a free seminar at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, in the Sophia Clay Classroom featuring a national speaker.
Roger Baird from Maryland is an “A1C” champion who will talk about the importance of taking control of diabetes and share his experiences. The A1C Champions Program, sponsored by sanofi-aventis U.S., enables patients around the country to provide diabetes education to others.
The A1C test measures a person’s average blood glucose level over a period of two to three months. Also called hemoglobin A1C or glycosylated hemoglobin, the test shows the amount of glucose that sticks to the red blood cell, which is proportional to the amount of glucose in the blood. The A1C Champions Program is a network of people from across the country who use the long-acting insulin injection as part of their overall diabetes treatment plan, which includes diet, exercise and other diabetes medications to help manage their blood sugar levels and keep their A1C under control.
“These champions have worked hard to achieve their personal diabetes goals and encourage others to strive for better blood sugar control,” said Diabetes Program Coordinator Wanda Honeycutt, RN, CDE. “We are offering two presentations on Nov. 4 that is designed to help empower others to make the right choices in taking care of their diabetes.”
During the seminar, participants will hear how to:
– Achieve good glucose control
– Establish an effective self-management plan
– Develop a balanced, healthy lifestyle
– Plan and prioritize diabetes management
– Overcome fear surrounding diabetes
– Find resources for diabetes support
Diabetes is a chronic, widespread condition in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin ó the hormone needed to transport glucose (sugar) from the blood into the cells of the body for energy. More than 230 million people worldwide live with the disease. It’s estimated that nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes. For more information about the program, contact the Diabetes Resource Center at 704-210-2755.