Niagara University nurses, in conjunction with the Parish Nurse Ministries of New York, Inc., have launched a six week educational seminar intended to heighten public awareness and discussion of a person’s lifestyle management of diabetes. This free pilot program, titled DEFY DIABETES, is being held at Corpus Christi Church in Buffalo. The next seminar will be scheduled in November based upon interest expressed by the community. All are welcome, but reservations are required. For details, call 566-1163.
The DEFY DIABETES educational outreach program is based on the significant number of Americans living with or at risk for developing diabetes. This program is made possible through a grant from the New York State Health Foundation to the Institute for Leadership in New York City who is rolling out the project. The local coordinator is the Network for Religious Communities.
Hosting the DEFY DIABETES program at Corpus Christi is part on an ongoing commitment by The Parish Nurse Ministries of New York, Inc. to this parish. The Parish Nurse Ministries has been housed on the campus of Corpus Christi Church since 2005 when a decision was made to move its Resource Center into Buffalo’s inner city. In gratitude to the Pauline Fathers and Brothers and the members of the faith community for their ongoing support of Parish Nursing, the honorarium that will be received by Parish Nurse Ministries from the sponsoring granting agency will be donated to the Church.
The six week seminar is being conducted by Marcia Barnes, BS, RN ‘ 49 (first graduating class from NU’s College of Nursing ) and Ann Marie Mac Isaac, MAPM, MSN, APRN, BC ’74 and a current faculty member in the Department of Nursing at NU. Following the first meeting, Ms. Barnes stated, “I am so happy to be able to be part of this outreach effort. I think we can make a big difference.”
Certainly, the Vincentian Spirit is alive and flourishing in the ministry of these two Parish Nurses who continue to “Walk the Talk” following their marching orders which parallel those of Niagara University, “To care for the whole person, mind, body and spirit!”
Diabetes is a significant health care problem and left unaddressed promises to continue to take a toll on all aspects of one’s life. Many persons are at risk, yet remain unaware of this fact and the potentially devastating consequences that Diabetes may cause. The New York State Diabetes campaign reports that the recent New York State Department of Health Statistics estimates that 1.8 million New York adults statewide have diabetes and that 733,000 of that number are living with diabetes and don’t know it. They further report that an estimated 3.7 million New York adults statewide have pre-diabetes. In essence, 1/3 of all New Yorkers may have pre-diabetes or diabetes.
It is true that one can never know enough about one’s health. Interestingly, one of the participants who had diabetes for a long time told the nurse presenters, “I came to this program out of sheer curiosity and I am so surprised that I learned so much.”
Discover more from Broadway Fillmore Alive
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
