New diabetes class now offered at Vandenberg's HAWC

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Steve Bauer
  • 30th Space Wing Public Affairs
Vandenberg's Health and Wellness Center is scheduled to offer a Diabetes Conversation Maps class on the first, second and third Wednesday of the month from 2-4:30 p.m. at the HAWC.

The Diabetes Conversation Maps class provides people with diabetes the opportunity to learn more about their condition with other diabetics during an interactive forum that engages small groups of people in an open discussion about diabetes.

"This class is very beneficial for those people who are dealing with diabetes and their family members," said Melinda Reed, a certified diabetes educator at Vandenberg's HAWC. "This class facilitates its participants to converse with other people who are dealing with the same problems."

Diabetes is a life-long disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone produced in pancreas. The disease is typically characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels causing people with diabetes to take long-term measures in order to prevent future complications associated with the disease.

"Diabetes is an easy condition to control; however, this requires patients to make lifestyle changes," Mrs. Reed said. "One of the ways the Diabetes Conversation Maps class can help is by giving its participants an in-depth overview of diabetes from a medical perspective. This class will answer any questions the participants might have related to diabetes."

The class is a comprehensive course that covers a wide variety of topics related to diabetes. The first class of the month provides an overview of diabetes. The last two classes of the month provide discussions with subject matter experts in the fields of nutrition, dental health, optometry, medicine and pharmacology.

Family members of diabetics may also benefit from attending this class.

"Diabetes affects the entire family," Mrs. Reed said. "We encourage family members to come to this class for moral support. The more families know about diabetes, the better they will be able to help their family members manage their condition in the best possible ways."

For more information regarding the HAWC's Diabetes Conversation Maps class, call the HAWC at 606-2221. To register for the class, visit www.php-ids.net/.