The community is invited to a free education program for people with diabetes and their care partners on Monday, April 4, at noon at the Champaign Family YMCA, 191 Community Drive, in the Leadership Room. The program is part of a 12-week diabetes series presented by the YMCA, Mercy Memorial Hospital and the Champaign County Health District.

The programs feature national speakers from A1C Champion program on “Diabetes Together” for people with diabetes and their health care partners. Frank Atherton, a diabetic, and Tina, his wife and care partner, will share their story about their diabetes journey together. Although the person who supports someone with a chronic disease is often referred to as a caregiver, it really requires a partnership to face the challenges and successes of the diabetes journey together.

During their 60-minute Diabetes Together presentation, Frank and Tina will share:

· Their story about working together as a team.

· Information about diabetes and controlling blood sugar.

· Ideas for effective communication between partners.

· How to work together to manage diabetes without it becoming the main focus of the relationship.

Why attend?

If you have diabetes, it doesn’t affect just you. It also touches your family and friends who want to know how they can best help you. While people with diabetes are ultimately responsible for their choices, the relationship with a care partner can have a significant impact on how someone manages his or her condition. If you or someone you care for is struggling with diabetes, the A1C Champions team can provide education and motivation for working together to achieve better blood glucose control.

Diabetes is a chronic, widespread condition in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, the hormone needed to transport glucose (sugar) from the blood into the cells of the body for energy. It is estimated that 387 million people worldwide and nearly 29 million Americans have diabetes, including an estimated 8 million Americans who remain undiagnosed.

At the same time about 40 percent of those diagnosed are not achieving the blood sugar control target A1C of less than 7 percent recommended by the American Diabetes Association. The A1C test measures average blood glucose levels over the past two- to three-month period.

For more information about the program, contact the YMCA at 937-653-9622 or email Elaine Dyar RDN, LD at Mercy Memorial Hospital at [email protected].