Mercy Health Partners News

St. Mary’s Diabetes Center and St. Mary’s Medical Center of Campbell County will host the Choose to Live Diabetes Class from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at the Castleton’s Regency Ballroom on Jacksboro Pike in LaFollette.
 This free informative “survival guide” to effective self-management of diabetes will be taught by Jane Petree, RN and Certified Diabetes Educator.  A free healthy lunch will be provided after the class from 12-12:45 p.m.  A guided grocery shopping tour lead by a registered dietician will be held after lunch from 1-2 p.m. at Food City in Jacksboro.
 “The class is an excellent opportunity for those with diabetes to learn more about how to manage this disease,” said Nancye Schenk, RN, LDN, CDE, and program director of St. Mary’s Diabetes Center.  “Unfortunately, many diabetes patients, especially those who are newly diagnosed, are not well informed about the disease and are confused about how to control it.
 “The Choose to Live class is extremely important because it emphasizes that diabetes must be proactively managed in order to live a long, healthy life and to avoid complications associated with this disease.  Those who will attend will learn easy and effective ways to manage diabetes in their busy lives everyday.” 
The Choose to Live diabetes self-management education program will cover many important topics including:
• ABC’s of Diabetes
• Getting the Very Best Care for Your Diabetes
• All About Blood Glucose
• Planning Healthy Meals
• All About Physical Activity
• Protect Your Health by Losing Weight
• Learning How to Change Habits
• Medications
• An Ounce of Prevention
• Grocery Shopping

Schenk said that the lecture and discussion will cover the topics that concern diabetic patients the most, and the grocery shopping tour will offer a hands-on learning experience for those who may have trouble choosing the right foods.
“Grocery shopping can be a daunting and confusing task for those with diabetes,” Schenk said.  “The grocery shopping tour will educate them about label reading, what ingredients to look for and which ones to avoid. This will help them make better informed decisions about their nutrition.”
Registration for this event is free, however, space is limited.  To sign up for the Choose to Live Diabetes class, call toll-free (877) 368-7362 by May 26, or visit www.mercy.com and click on Classes and Events to register online.
St. Mary’s Diabetes Center is part of Mercy Health Partners.  Mercy was formed by the merger of St. Mary’s Health System and Baptist Health System of East Tennessee in 2008.  The new healthcare system has seven acute care hospitals, more than 1,000 physicians and 5,700 associates using state-of-the-art medical technology to provide the best in compassionate care for patient across East Tennessee.
For physician referral and service information, call Ask Mercy at 865-632-5200 or toll free at 877-368-7362.  For a complete list of Mercy locations and services, visit the Mercy Web site at www.mercy.com.
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