Next week is Diabetes Week and several events will be held throughout Cayman to raise awareness of the disease.
During Diabetes Week 2011, the Cayman Islands Diabetes Charitable Trust has invited speakers to help educate people on how to prevent diabetes, as well as how to reverse it.
“Many people with diabetes may only have contact with a healthcare professional for a total of a few hours per year. The rest of the time they care for and manage their diabetes themselves,” said chairman of the Trust, Christina Rowlandson.
Dr. Clarence Ng, from Weimer, California, and his wife May will hold Newstart Lifestyle Medicine seminars in George Town, Bodden Town and West Bay during the week. The seminars will explore the benefits of plant-based diets for diabetes reversal and weight management.
The seminars will be at the Bodden Town Adventist Church at 7pm Sunday, 12 June; the new Government Administration Building conference room 1038 at 5pm Tuesday, 14 June; and the Shirley Kidd Memorial Hall at the Sir John A. Cumber School in West Bay at 6pm Wednesday, 15 June.
The Trust also aims to offer carotid screening, as well as other screenings for family members of people with Type 1 Diabetes.
Carotoid examinations are designed to scan carotid arteries for cholesterol plaque, which is an indication of increased risk for heart disease and stroke. The presence of cholesterol plaque or thickening of the carotid arteries may indicate that there is cholesterol plaque in other arteries in the body, for example, coronary arteries in the heart or cerebral arteries in the brain.
The non-invasive and painless carotid screenings will take place prior to and after the Newstart Lifestyle seminars at all three venues.
There will also be screenings available for family members of people with Type 1 Diabetes at 3pm Wednesday, 15 June, at George Town Library, prior to a 4.20pm talk titled Horizon on Type 1 Diabetes by registered nurse Della Matheson, coordinator of the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet, University of Miami.
Ms Rowlandson said the screening involves a simple blood test for the presence of diabetes-related autoantibodies that may appear years before Type 1 Diabetes develops and will help identify people at risk.
Anyone between ages one and 45 and who is a brother, sister, child or parent of someone with type 1 diabetes is invited. Those who test positive may be eligible to participate in TrialNet Natural History Studies at the University.
This kind of screening entail drawing some blood from individuals and testing for four antibodies that help to predict a person’s risk of developing Type 1 Diabetes.
The Trust will also host a charity afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman on Monday, 13 June from 3.30-5:30pm.
A motivational boot camp for high school students will be held on Friday, 17 June, at Hollywood Theatres, Camana Bay, and at Layman E. Scott Sr. High School on Monday, 20 June.
The Cayman Islands Diabetes Charitable Trust is also encouraging supporters to hold a Dress Down Day in their workplace or local school during Diabetes Week.
To find out how to help or participate in any of the events, call 926-1053 or email [email protected]
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