Sansum Diabetes Program Takes Global Stage – Noozhawk

Posted on June 20, 2017 | 10:43 a.m.

Ocho Pasos program targets nutrition, treatment, exercise, monitoring, stress management

Jenifer Swartzentruber, l, Wendy Bevier, Mary Conneely, Ellen Goodstein of William Sansum Diabetes Center. (William Sansum Diabetes Center)

The William Sansum Diabetes Center'sOcho Pasos a la Buena Salud (Eight Steps to Better Health) was selected to be showcased in a moderated poster discussion at the recent American Diabetes Associations 77th Scientific Sessions in San Diego.

The presentation, led by WSDC diabetes educator Mary Conneely, was part of the ADA tour titled Community Strategies to Improve Care Delivery.

More than 15,000 physicians, scientists and health care professionals from around the world convene annually at the ADAs Scientific Sessions to unveil cutting-edge research, treatment recommendations and advances toward a cure for diabetes.

It was a great experience for me personally and it was just overwhelming with how much information there was at the conference, said Conneely who attended the conference for the first time this year.

During the conference Conneely said she experienced an impressive example of just how far reaching WSDCs Ocho Pasos education is across the globe.

Conneely, who is from Bolivia, met two conference attendees, also from Bolivia. When she told them about the WSDCs presentation they said they'd already downloaded WSDCs Ocho Pasos program, even before they met Conneely that day.

More than anything, it was so amazing to show other people what we are doing at William Sansum Diabetes Center and what works to better the lives of the community, Conneely said.

The moderated poster presentation detailed how Ocho Pasos is a culturally-relevant diabetes education program designed for low-income, monolingual Latino participants with or at risk for type 2 diabetes.

The eight weekly sessions focus on nutrition, treatment, monitoring, exercise and stress management. The results of Ocho Pasos were on display, highlighting the dramatic A1C reduction by taking the class.

It is incredibly empowering, energizing and awe inspiring to be around the nearly 15,000 talented and dedicated physicians, researchers, engineers, educators and others all making incredible progress in the fight against this dreadful disease," said Ellen Goodstein, WSDC executive director.

"To hear the progress being made in so many areas of diabetes research gave me genuine hope for the future. We will beat this disease, she said.

Dr. David Kerr, who attended the event, said, "The ADA showcases the best and the brightest for diabetes research and innovation, and this year the center was especially prominent because of the cutting-edge work we are involved with right now."

Diabetes affects nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States and contributes to the deaths of more than 230,000 Americans each year.

The American Diabetes Association estimates the total cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. is more than $177 billion.

Published studies suggest that when additional costs for gestational diabetes, prediabetes and undiagnosed diabetes are included, the total diabetes-related costs in the U.S. exceeds $322 billion annually.

William Sansum Diabetes Center attendees included: Goodstein, Conneely, Ceara Axelrod, Wendy Bevier, Jenifer Swartzentruber, Kerr, Dr. Jordan Pinsker, Laura Lindsey and Mei Mei Church.

Regina Ruiz for William Sansum Diabetes Center.

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Sansum Diabetes Program Takes Global Stage - Noozhawk