Houston Healthcare celebrates Diabetes Awareness Month

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. According to the American Diabetes Association, 29.1 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes and the number keeps increasing. The Georgia Department of Public Health says 800,000 of those people live in Georgia.

Houston Healthcare hosted a “Tools for Living Well” workshop for people living with diabetes. Dentists, dietitians and pharmacists spoke at the workshop and offered advice and tips on how a diabetic can live a healthy lifestyle.

Director of Community Education and Services, Beth Jones, who oversaw the event says they mainly offered advice to people with Type 2 diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association, Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes.

“We know over 90 percent of the care for person with Type 2 diabetes has to be done by that person,” Jones said. “It’s important for them to learn the skills to manage that.”

People like Gerry Sutton, who was diagnosed in 2005, are appreciative of the workshop and support.

“We can’t hear it enough because it its difficult to do day in and day out,” Sutton said. “And it helps to have support.”

This is Houston Healthcare’s twelfth year hosting the workshop and they hope it continues to make a difference.