Local diabetes prevention program wins American Diabetes Association Award

The Fond du Lac Human Services (FDLHS) Diabetes Prevention Program was presented with the American Diabetes Association “John Pipe Voices for Change Award” in recognition for its innovative diabetes services in American Indian communities. The award was presented Sept. 28 at the National Indian Health Board’s (NIHB) 28th Annual Consumer Conference in Anchorage, Alaska.

A “word of mouth” community-wide advertising campaign about diabetes prevention was developed and implemented by the FDLHS Diabetes Prevention Program this past year in response to a community focus group recommendation that information is spread best at FDL through friends and family

interaction.

The campaign included a community competition for an all-inclusive trip for four to Disney World. In order to be eligible, each person needed to complete a blood sugar screening for diabetes. News of the competition was spread via word of mouth, as community members were asked to recruit family and friends for the event in order to have more chances of winning the prize themselves.

During the four-month competition, 491 community members were screened for diabetes and prediabetes; 51 members were diagnosed with prediabetes and eight were diagnosed with diabetes. The winner was a young man who was screened because his father, who has type 2 diabetes with complications, asked his son to be tested for

diabetes.

FDLHS has had a Diabetes Prevention Program since 2006. They have graduated over 80 community members from an intensive 16-week curriculum program of healthy lifestyle behaviors based on the original Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) National Study.

The Diabetes Prevention Program is part of FDLHS’s comprehensive Diabetes Program supported by the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) and accredited by the American Diabetes Association. Both programs are directed by Mary Jo Koszarek, CNP-RN, CDE, an adult nurse practitioner and certified diabetes educator. Lynne Kosmach, CNP-RN, CDE, the Diabetes Prevention Program coordinator, accepted the award on behalf of FDLHS at the NIHB conference.

“Diabetes affects American Indian communities at an alarming rate,” said Charles Kendall, M.D., FDLHS medical director. “The John Pipe Voices for Change Award recognizes programs, such as the Fond du Lac Human Services Diabetes Prevention Program, that empower

Native American communities with culturally grounded approaches to improve their health and prevent type 2 diabetes or diabetes complications.”

The award is in memory of long-time diabetes supporter John Pipe of Wolf Point, Mont., who was a dedicated diabetes advocate and served as a member of the Diabetes Association’s Awakening the Spirit Subcommittee. His longstanding advocacy efforts reached from his local community to Washington, D.C., and affected countles

tribal communities.

The SDPI continues to give Indian health programs and tribal communities the resources and tools they need to both prevent and treat diabetes. It funds nearly 400 community directed programs, offering local tribes and health programs the opportunity to set priorities that meet the needs of the community, whether it be prevention activities or treatment.

~ Press release

Tags: fond du lac, health