Thursday, November 28, 2013
Community Members Learn About Diabetes By “Living” With It As Part Of Awareness Month Activity
Town of Petawawa Councillor Theresa Sabourin has a strong interest in learning opportunities and experiences that can allow her to look at things in life from a different perspective.
She also believes that she is inherently at risk for heart disease and stroke, having lost her father to a heart attack and her grandmother to stroke.
So given the opportunity to “live” the life of a diabetic for three days as part of an activity coordinated by the Renfrew County Diabetes Education Program for Diabetes Awareness Month, she not only chose to take part, but she also chose to be very vigilant in making the experience as realistic as possible to fully understand and appreciate what those living with diabetes must go through day-to-day.
With a “diagnosis” of Type 1 diabetes controlled through insulin and diet, Ms. Sabourin tested her blood glucose levels seven times per day and injected herself with a saline solution before each meal and bed each evening. “The entire experience was an important learning opportunity for me, but it was pretty intense,” she said, acknowledging that she is not a person who is comfortable getting needles, let alone having to do the injections herself.
She explained that using the equipment took some getting used to, and while the technology itself has come a long way, her fingers still got sore from frequent glucose tests and she wasn’t injecting the “insulin” properly at first. “It shouldn’t have hurt but it did a couple of times,” she said.
She said she never realized how much effort and prep work goes into managing the disease – things like meal planning, preparing the equipment for use, and making plans for something so seemingly simple as an evening out for dinner.
“Having diabetes is all encompassing and takes a great amount of concentration and effort. Even such things as having to bring a larger purse out to dinner in order to carry your insulin kit as you need to take your injection 15 minutes before you eat,” Ms. Sabourin said.
In addition to the “medication” she required, Ms. Sabourin also needed to complete 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day and maintain a diet based on the Canada Food Guide. “I did my best to follow the guide the way it’s meant to be followed but I quickly realized I wasn’t eating the required portions or the right mix of food.”
With the experience now behind her, Ms. Sabourin said she has gained a greater respect and appreciation for those living with diabetes and how the disease impacts their lives. She noted that while diabetes is a disease which can be managed, those afflicted have to plan for and make appropriate choices regarding their lifestyle or there will be consequences to the choices they make.
Going forward she plans to tailor her own meals more to the requirements of the Canada Food Guide, especially when it comes to portions and food choices and she noted that the experience has helped bring the topic of diabetes and disease management to the forefront in her conversations with others.
Achieving that kind of heightened level of awareness about diabetes, risk factors for the disease and ways to manage it was one of the main goals of the local “Diabetes for a Day” initiative, said Karen Roosen, Diabetes Education Coordinator at Pembroke Regional Hospital.
As part of November’s Diabetes Awareness Month activities, the educators from the Renfrew County Diabetes Education Program which is administered by PRH, coordinated the special experience for high profile volunteers within the region including Ms. Sabourin, Eganville Mayor Jennifer Murphy, Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon, Daily Observer reporter Ryan Paulsen, Lean Process Improvement Coordinator Lisa Bradley of the Pembroke Regional Hospital and Ontario Court of Justice Judge Grant Radley-Walters, in order to show what individuals living with the disease must go through.
While diabetes affects nine million Canadians, Renfrew County's rates for diabetes, hypertension, obesity and physical inactivity are among the highest in the province. The prevalence of diabetes for adults in the county is 9.3 per cent compared to 8.4 per cent across the Champlain LHIN region, Mrs. Roosen said.
“An activity like this is very effective in illustrating the commitment to lifestyle change that is required after diagnosis,” she said. “It promotes a better understanding of both prevention and management of diabetes and given the backgrounds of those who have volunteered, it allows for an opportunity to speak about diabetes in circles where it may not have been a topic of conversation.”
Lisa Bradley’s three-day experience with Type 2 diabetes provided her with information she was able to share and discuss with her own family members who live with the disease.
“I really enjoyed the experience,” said Mrs. Bradley. “Type 2 diabetes runs in my family with three current family members diagnosed. I was happy to be involved as I am always trying to learn about the current best practices for chronic disease management and how to reduce the risk for myself and my family.”
Mrs. Bradley who had to test her blood twice daily and take placebos to simulate the use of medication to control her diabetes said she found the initial use of the equipment challenging and recognized the importance of having community-based educators available to answer questions, provide clarifications and reassurance.
“Just getting into the routine was frustrating. It took me three tries to test my blood glucose the first time – to get enough blood for the test strip – which is just a very small droplet. I was pleasantly surprised that the needle didn’t hurt,” she said.
“For me it was a good learning experience and a great opportunity to try and learn a bit about what others must go through. I enjoyed the education component about nutrition and I’m happy to have this information now to share with others.”
“I tried to follow the Canada Food Guide and was more conscious about eating protein at each meal. Exercise and healthy eating were already part of my life but this experience reinforced the commitment.”
The Renfrew County Diabetes Education Program is a regional program administered by the Pembroke Regional Hospital which offers diabetes education services across five hospital sites in Renfrew County along with 15 community outreach sites. You can speak to someone from the program by calling 1-855-293-7838.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Carolyn Levesque, Public Affairs and Communications Coordinator
Pembroke Regional Hospital
(613) 732-3675, ext. 6165 / carolyn.levesque@pemreghos.org
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