Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center (BLEC) will observe National Diabetes Alert Day on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its location on 1218 Batchelor Street in West Columbia. The one-day event will serve as a “wake-up call” to inform the public about the seriousness of diabetes. In addition to urging individuals to take the Prediabetes Risk Test, the BLEC will be providing free A1c tests, blood pressure readings, and brown bag medicine reviews. For the medication review, it is important for event attendees to bring all their medications and supplements in the original containers.
The BLEC’s National Diabetes Alert Day Event is being sponsored by Diabetes Free SC and Molina Healthcare of South Carolina. We are also excited to announce new partnerships with the University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing and College of Pharmacy. Additionally, Operation Diabetes led by student members of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) will provide patient care services.
Diabetes occurs when the body’s blood glucose level is too high. This is caused by a deficiency in the insulin produced by the body, which is the hormone that lets glucose enter cells and be used as energy. Excess glucose in the blood can lead to several health problems such as heart disease, blindness, and kidney failure. The most common types of diabetes are Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes.
According to health experts, the public should be aware of five important facts about diabetes: (1) diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States; (2) diabetes is a major cause of not just blindness, but also kidney failure, heart attacks, and strokes; (3) Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 to 95 percent of diabetes cases; (4) Type 1 diabetes tends to develop early in life; and (5) lifestyle changes like a healthy diet and exercise can drastically reduce the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.
For more information on this event, please contact Mrs. Sylvia Flint, BLEC’s project coordinator for Diabetes Intervention Program for Families, at either [email protected] or (803) 744-1971.
