Diabetes and risk of a stroke
Posted By ANTHONY DIXON ADIXON@THEDAILYOBSERVER.CA
Posted 2 months ago
Are you concerned about diabetes or your risk of stroke? There are free local programs that can help.
Through a series of public education sessions hosted in November by the Canadian Diabetes Association, sometimes in conjunction with the Cardiovascular Health Awareness Program (CHAP), it is hoped that Ottawa Valley residents will seek the assistance they require.
The final information session for November, which is Diabetes month, was held recently at Shoppers Drug Mart in east-end Pembroke.
Laura Murphy, the Canadian Diabetes Association Pembroke and District Branch co-ordinator, said with the number of people living with diabetes in Renfrew County, there should be a lot more people dropping by her office in downtown Pembroke and also more people attending the diabetes education clinic at the Pembroke Regional Hospital.
"The big thing is getting people to come in, particularly to the clinic. We know we have high numbers of people with diabetes living here. They should be lined up out the door but they're not," she said.
By heading out to where the public shops, Ms. Murphy hopes to reach that greater audience and inspire it to seek out resources to help itself.
Through both diabetes literature and the chance to speak to experts face to face, she hoped to have more people refer themselves to the hospital's diabetes clinic.
She pointed out that the diabetes education clinic at the hospital is free and does not require a doctor's referral.
A person can simply call and register themselves for the classes.
"There is a lot more to healthy living and living well with diabetes than just taking your meds (medications) and going to the doctor. There's diet and exercise is very important," Ms. Murphy said.
Her latest information session, which featured literature on diabetes and healthy lifestyle choices, was held in conjunction with CHAP, that offered free blood pressure checks and general stroke awareness to the people who attended.
Ms. Murphy explained that diabetes is a major risk factor for stroke and so the two programs are a good pairing.
Holly Woermke is the co-ordinator of the district stroke centre at the hospital and the CHAP program.
She agreed with Ms. Murphy that diabetes along with high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all high risk factors for stroke.
CHAP is a community-based program that brings together pharmacies, family physicians and community organizations to help in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Sessions are held in local pharmacies where people can have their blood pressure taken as well as receive help in understanding their risk factors for heart and stroke.
Ms. Woermke said CHAP is offered monthly but teamed up with the diabetes association for Diabetes Awareness Month.
Ms. Murphy said this month she has hosted seven diabetes awareness sessions at department stores and pharmacies in the valley including the communities of Pembroke, Deep River, Barry's Bay, Arnprior and Renfrew.
Anthony Dixon is a Daily Observer reporter
