Bear Claw Casino held a Diabetes Awareness Event on Thu, May 12. Employees of the Casino were provided with information and resources on diabetes, as well as the opportunity to have preliminary screening performed.
The initiative was a joint endeavour between the Bear Claw Casino and Hotel, White Bear First Nation Home and Community Care, and the Canadian Diabetes Association.
Lorraine Scott, Health and Wellness Coordinator for Bear Claw Casino, has held a number of events over the past year to promote healthy lifestyles. "Since I have been here [2010], I have been trying to promote ways of healthy lifestyles and wellness. We have done a variety of events so far."
"For me, it is about promoting wellness and finding healthier ways to live, like in the case of diabetes. You know, there are a lot of people struggling with diabetes every day. So it is about learning to work with it and learning to live healthier and longer with it. The goal is to become aware. And the more people that we can offer this information to, the more people know about diabetes. It is like throwing a stone into a pool. The information ripples out."
The purpose of the assessment was to identify those that may be susceptible for diabetes, and provide them with information to address this growing health concern. All staff members were offered the opportunity to participate in the assessment.
Leah Domoney, coordinator of public programs and services for the Canadian Diabetes Association, explained the assessment process. "We have three stations set up here. Each individual gets a random blood glucose check, a blood pressure check and a waist circumference check. From that, individuals can identify what their risk factor is. And if it is something of concern, then they can choose to go to their doctor."
The Canadian Diabetes Association is "concerned about the alarming rise of diabetes" said Leah. "Right now, we know there are 75,000 people in Saskatchewan living with diabetes that have been diagnosed; which probably means there are about 150,000 individuals that are living with it and don't even know about it. And it is growing at a concerning rate. So we really want to catch people and delay that onset for as long as possible. Because [if you catch it] you also are delaying all the complications that come with it like kidney failure, heart attack, stokes, loss of eye sight or blindness, limb amputation and nerve damage to name a few. The earlier they catch it, the less time they are living with the damaging effects of diabetes, and the better it is for their long term quality of life."
Events such as this cannot occur without collaboration from a number of different organizations. The partnership between Bear Claw Casino, White Bear First Nation Home and Community Care, and the Canadian Diabetes Association made this event possible. "In every community we go into, we use our community partners. We have nurses and pharmacists in several communities that have a speciality in diabetes. They have taken additional courses, so we utilize their skills and work as a team to provide a service such as this" said Leah.
These partnerships also allow for initiatives such as the Traveling Diabetes Resource Program to occur. In May, the Canadian Diabetes Association was presented with a $10,000 cheque from the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority in support of the program. Pat Cook, Vice President of Corporate Affairs for SIGA, said of the cheque presentation, "Diabetes is a difficult condition that affects so many people, and First Nations people are especially susceptible. Programs like this are crucial for bringing awareness, resources and education to our communities. SIGA is very proud to support the Canadian Diabetes Association in this important initiative."
Warren Wagner, Regional Director for the Canadian Diabetes Association of Saskatchewan, reiterated the importance of the initiative. "The Traveling Diabetes Resource Program allows the Association to reach at-risk communities outside the provinces' major centres with valuable information about this life-threatening disease. We're committed to proving the necessary resources for individuals to make informed decisions about their health: TDRP is part of that, and we are appreciative of SIGA's generosity."
Information sessions given by the Canadian Diabetes Association span the age categories, ranging from a program that targets five to eight years old, all the way up to adulthood. Those interested in holding an information session such as this, can contact Leah at the Canadian Diabetes Association. "Sometimes we approach communities and sometimes we have communities approach us. And from there, we decide how we would like to hold the seminar. Sometimes we do a presentation. Other times, we perform risk assessments. It really depends what is going to be the most useful for the community. And that is for the partners to decide."
For more information on diabetes and its effects, visit the Canadian Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.ca.
