Diabetes & Endocrinology Team Makes the Most of Diabetes Awareness Month

Access-to-Care
Providers and educators of the UM Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology organized several events during November to spread awareness of diabetes and promote the treatment and support services of the Center.

At WCEI: On-air staffer Jules McCauley interviewed Doris Allen, left, and Anna Antwi, center, during morning drive time on November 1.
At WCEI: On-air staffer Jules McCauley, right, interviewed Doris Allen, left, and Anna Antwi, center, during morning drive time on November 1.

To kick off the awareness campaign, Anna Antwi, CRNP for the Center and Doris Allen, lead diabetes educator were “live on the air” during morning drive time at WCEI on November 1, talking about rates of diabetes in our five county region and the services offered by the Center. In Kent County, the County Commissioners issued a proclamation on October 1 declaring November Diabetes Awareness Month in Kent County.
The Kent County Commissioners issued a proclamation recognizing November as Diabetes Awareness Month.
The Kent County Commissioners issued a proclamation recognizing November as Diabetes Awareness Month. Shown with the proclamation are Anna Antwi, Chrissy Nelson and Doris Allen.

The Diabetes Awareness Month schedule also included two, well-attended open houses, one at Chestertown and one at Easton, that featured educational presentations and vendor tables where patients and family members could learn about various technologies and treatment resource. The Easton event, held in the Center, also featured a cooking demonstration by Ryan Groll, proprietor of Eat Sprout, a company based in Trappe, Md., that prepares and delivers locally sourced, organic, nutritionist-designed, chef-crafted, ready-to-eat meals.
At the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology's Open House at UM SMC at Easton, Ryan Groll, of Eat Sprout, demonstrated diabetes-friendly menus -- and served the prepared foods to those in attendance.
At the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology’s Open House at UM SMC at Easton, Ryan Groll, of Eat Sprout, demonstrated diabetes-friendly menus — and served the prepared foods to those in attendance.

Other offerings included three Ask the Expert presentations, “Taking Steps to Control Your Diabetes, scheduled in Caroline, Dorchester and Kent counties, and two grocery store tours, one at Giant Foods in Easton, conducted by Karen Hollis, nurse educator in the UM Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, and the other at Redner’s Market, in Chestertown, conducted by Mary King, director of nutrition services as UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.
"A1C champion" Tamra Sanders, who volunteers at the Center, gave a presentation on managing diabetes at the Easton open house.
“A1C champion” Tamra Sanders, who volunteers at the Center, gave a presentation on managing diabetes at the Easton open house.

“We were very pleased by the strong interest and attendance at our special events for Diabetes Awareness Month,” says Doris Allen. “It’s exciting to see how awareness of diabetes and pre-diabetes in our region is growing, and how the idea of prevention and management of these conditions seems to be taking hold.”