MIAMI, FL (MAY 14, 2018) – DiabetesSisters, a national 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the lives of women living with and at risk of diabetes, has joined with Leon Medical Center to present seminars on May 16 and 23 for Latin women with diabetes or prediabetes. The purpose of the seminars is to offer culturally appropriate, practical diabetes education for Latin women, and increase their levels of support, health, and well-being. Both seminars will be held at the Leon Healthy Living Center in Hialeah and will be presented entirely in Spanish.
The first seminar on the effects of physical activity on diabetes management and heart health will be held Wednesday, May 16 at 10am. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear guest speaker Lorena Drago, certified diabetes educator and dietician and head of diabetes, nutrition, and bariatric outpatient programs at Bellevue Hospital in New York. Drago is founder of Hispanic Foodways LCC, an organization dedicated to innovative health education and diabetes programs. She is author of 3 books including Beyond Rice and Beans: The Caribbean Guide to Eating Healthy with Diabetes.
The second seminar on the connections between diabetes, heart health, and kidney health will be held Wednesday, May 23 at 10am. Attendees will hear guest speaker Frank Lavernia, diabetologist and founder/director of the North Broward Diabetes Center in South Florida. He is an adjunct faculty member of the National Diabetes Education Initiative, Vascular Biology Working Group, and the Coalition for the Advancement of Cardiovascular Health. Lavernia is a member of the American Diabetes Association, American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, European Association for the Study of Diabetes, and the National Hispanic Medical Association.
Hispanics/Latinos, the largest racial/ethnic minority population in the US, are about 50% more likely to die from diabetes than whites, and have a similar number of deaths from kidney disease. One in three Hispanics in the US is living with prediabetes, a condition where a person’s level of blood sugar is higher than a person without diabetes but does not yet meet the level of diagnosis for diabetes. Without intervention a person with prediabetes is likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within the next 10 years. Latin women living with diabetes are also more likely to experience depression, eye disease, kidney disease, and nerve disease than those who do not have diabetes.
“DiabetesSisters is pleased to work alongside Leon Medical Center and bring the Latino population much needed education and support, especially in their native language,” said Anna Norton, CEO of DiabetesSisters. “We are honored to have the support of our industry partners to expand our programming to more communities.”
DiabetesSisters recognizes and appreciates the support of AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingleheim, Janssen, Lilly, Merck, and Novo Nordisk as sponsors of these Minority Initiative seminars.
About DiabetesSisters
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, DiabetesSisters is the only organization nationwide focusing exclusively on women living with diabetes. Our mission is to improve the health and quality of life of women living with and at risk of developing diabetes and to advocate on their behalf. DiabetesSisters has a 13,000-member peer network that unites women with diabetes for the purpose of support, education, and advocacy. Signature programs include monthly peer support meetings (PODS Meetups); the Life Class Webinar Series and online blogs, forums, and expert resources; and conferences throughout the US. For more information, visit