Diabetes impacts 37.3 million people in the United States and 8.5 million of those are unaware that they have diabetes. Raising awareness of diabetes is important to help prevent those with pre-diabetes to progress into type 2 diabetes, to help identify signs and symptoms of blood sugar dysregulation and to promote access to care for diabetes and related conditions.
In honor of November being Diabetes awareness month, Hannibal Regional Diabetes Center will be hosting a Diabetes Health Fair. This event will take place on November 2, 2023 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the Hannibal Regional Medical Group Conference Center. Join us to learn about the healthcare management that goes along with diabetes and diabetes prevention. A variety of booths will be set up with educational materials and resources to support your mental and physical health. This event is a great opportunity for those with diabetes to gather more information to support their health, but is also a great way for those who do not have diabetes to learn about prevention. Hemoglobin A1C blood test will be available during this event. This test checks the average blood sugar over the past three months.
Hannibal Regional offers a variety of diabetes self-management and education trainings. Jamie Cook and Kristy Taylor serve as certified diabetes care and education specialists (CDCES). A CDCES educates, supports and empowers people with diabetes in a variety of areas such as problem solving, healthy coping, best practices for medication management and reducing risks associated with diabetes. Kristy shares, “My top tip for a person with diabetes is to visit with a CDCES every year. Diabetes can be overwhelming, and even when things are going well, there are many areas of life that we don’t initially connect with diabetes; such as traveling, changing shifts at work, or how mental health is impacted by diabetes. As a CDCES, I am here to support you and provide you with tools and resources to managing your diabetes in all aspects of your health.”
To learn more about the Diabetes Health Fair or to make an appointment with Kristy or Jamie, please contact the Hannibal Regional Diabetes Center at 573-629-3382.