News

One in 10 North Carolinians is living with diabetes. In Iredell County, the disease is the seventh leading cause of death.

After receiving renewed re-certification through the Education Recognition Program (ERP), the Iredell Wellness and Diabetes Center in Troutman remains the only care center for diabetes patients in Iredell County recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Deaths from diabetes in Iredell County have decreased since 1999, three years after the center first achieved its certification from the ADA. Since 2004, the death rate from diabetes in Iredell County has fallen below the state average.

The Iredell Wellness and Diabetes Center provides patients with coaching and education via individual sessions, group classes, and ongoing support. It conducts Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) programs, providing the training and knowledge patients need to take charge of their wellbeing.

“Iredell Health System’s 10-Hour Diabetes Self-Management Training program empowers individual patients to cope with diabetes. It’s about providing patients with a team of people to help, and teaching them how to live healthy with diabetes because, ultimately, it’s a lifestyle,” said Heather White, diabetes program manager at the Iredell Wellness and Diabetes Center.

The ADA’s Education Recognition Certificate assures that educational services meet the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES), certifying that the Iredell Wellness and Diabetes Center is comprised of a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide participants with comprehensive information about diabetes management.

Diabetes is a disease where your blood glucose, or blood sugar, is too high. Medical treatment and healthy habits can give patients better odds for avoiding complications, like loss of eyesight, loss of limbs and kidney damage. For patients with diabetes making lifestyle changes, the center offers education and support. It’s a place to learn more about their diagnosis and how they can take charge of their health.

The ADA is the nation’s leading organization committed to fighting diabetes by driving discovery through research and innovation, intensifying the urgency around the diabetes epidemic and supporting people living with and affected by diabetes.

“We applaud the Iredell Wellness and Diabetes Center for its commitment to providing high-quality, evidence-based education and support for people with diabetes by meeting the National Standards for DSME/S and earning the ADA’s ERP recognition,” said Linda Cann, MSEd, the ADA’s senior vice president of professional services.

The Wellness & Diabetes Center launched its diabetes support group in January, now meeting every third Tuesday from 3:00-4:00 p.m. at its location at 285-D North Main Street in Troutman. For more information on diabetes and other services provided at the Wellness and Diabetes Center, call 70-878-4556.