Chair George Van Ankum welcomed 30 members and guests to a diabetes information meeting on April 4 at the Drayton Reformed Church.
Regional director Kerry Bruder presented Alice Van Ankum with a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her 37-year contribution to the Canadian Diabetes Association and people affected by diabetes. Many of her family was in attendance for the presentation. She offered thanks to Heidi Fraser from the Kitchener office for her contribution to the event. Only 30 people involved with the CDA across Canada received a medallion.
George Van Ankum offered thanks and appreciation to those who helped raise $49,457 in the annual appeal.
Guest speaker Dr. David Schieck, formerly of Drayton, is now a family physician in Guelph. His presentation on living successfully with diabetes followed the basics of Diabetes 101 to various treatments highlighting ways to decrease the chances of complications and cardiovascular problems. His handouts included a body mass index chart (BMI) and a risk calculator test with recommendations for annual or three to five year screening tests. A blood test shows a snapshot of the sugar in your blood whereas a hemoglobin A1C shows how much sugar is in your blood over a range of three months, which is also a good predictor of diabetes.
Schieck noted it is important to get the sugars out of your blood stream and into the tissues.
Using the four ‘M’s’ properly, you can manage your blood sugars effectively: monitor your blood glucose levels; take your prescribed medications; add movement to your daily routine; and moderate your meals. Diabetes tends to be a medication-intensive condition aimed at cardiovascular complication prevention. Planning meals and snacks, going easy on carbohydrates, and eating vegetables and a portion of protein are advised. Avoid the sitting disease, urged Schieck, suggesting patients follow a prescription for exercise, as religiously and seriously as a prescription for insulin, cholesterol tablets, high blood pressure pills, and other medications that help combat the complications of diabetes.
Nancy Dietrich thanked Dr. Schieck for his presentation. The door prize of a Choice Menus cookbook was won by Patricia Salter of the Arthur area.
The chair expressed appreciation to the ladies who prepared the luncheon – Theresa Johnston, Cora Anne Morden, Audrey Morden, Nancy Dietrich, and Dorothy DeJong.
For further information, feel free to contact volunteers at the branch at 519-338-3181 or npnw@diabetes.ca
