Virtual Event May 26: Finding Affordable Diabetes Care

HACKENSACK, NJ – May 24, 2021 – The Diabetes Foundation, New Jersey’s premier not-for-profit organization that empowers individuals living with diabetes, announced today that a number of its community partners and Diabetes Foundation staff will come together as part of the fourth and final session of the Foundation’s Diabetes Care Month on May 26 at 5 p.m., entitled Finding Affordable Diabetes Care. The event will provide attendees with help to navigate local organizations and programs, throughout New Jersey and beyond, where they can attain support to manage their diabetes.

The event is free and open to the public, and those interested in attending any or all of the events can register at https://diabetesfoundationinc.org/caremonth/. Links to recordings of the previous Diabetes Care Month sessions are available at the same link.

“Central to appropriate diabetes management is proper nutrition, access to care, and sufficient support for those living with diabetes,” said Ginine Cilenti, Executive Director of the Diabetes Foundation. “This virtual program is all about identifying the resources and support available in your community and across New Jersey for those living with diabetes, and how you can get access to it. We are here today to ensure that that those living with diabetes will never be alone in their efforts to properly manage diabetes.”

The speakers for this session include Jeannie Fournier, Vice President of Programs, Community FoodBank of New Jersey; Gabrielle Escribano, Bilingual ACA Outreach Coordinator and Certified Application Counselor, New Jersey Citizen Action Education Fund; and Marlene Korngold, Participant Healthcare Solutions Lead for the Diabetes Foundation. Laura Vetter RDN, CDCES, Outpatient Nutritionist for Saint Peter’s University Hospital will host and moderate the session.

From food to insurance coverage, from insulin to test strips, there are many resources to ensure that those living with diabetes can live a healthy lifestyle and that they are never alone in finding support. The Diabetes Foundation and its partners will help participants understand the information they need to know about vital services that can take some stress out of living with diabetes.

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the ease at which the virus can make significant, if not life-threatening, impact on the lives of those living with diabetes. This has made diabetes self-care even more important as we look towards the end of the pandemic. Diabetes management can be stressful for those who are living with it on a day-to-day basis. But, it doesn’t always have to be so hard. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Diabetes Foundation’s main goal has always been removing the barriers to care for the almost one million people living with diabetes in the State of New Jersey.

This event is the final session of the four-part Diabetes Care Month virtual event series, hosted by the Diabetes Foundation, which began on May 5. The series has addressed major diabetes headlines through the lens of a world emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, while also concentrating on what proper diabetes management looks like and tips on how to live a healthy life. Diabetes Care Month has brought together government and community leaders, healthcare partners and diabetes experts, all dedicated to breaking down barriers to diabetes care. Recordings of previous sessions are available online at the diabetes Foundation website (www.diabetesfoundationinc.org) or on the organization’s YouTube channel.

Sponsors for Diabetes Care Month currently include BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), M&T Bank, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, Ascensia Diabetes Care, George Link Charitable Trust, BioReference Laboratories, ADCES, S. Rubenstein Family Foundation, Nannette Empey Bryan Foundation, Sanofi, The Russell Berrie Foundation, and Newbridge Medical Center. The Diabetes Foundation is still actively seeking sponsors for Diabetes Care Month. Interested parties can contact Pamela Weber-Leaf at pweber-leaf@diabetesfoundationinc.org or call (201) 444-0337.

While the COVID-19 pandemic will subside and some level of normal life will return, the diabetes epidemic, which can cause dangerous health complications for New Jerseyans from Bergen County to Cape May, will inevitably continue. With 10% of the state’s residents living with diabetes, and an additional 36% projected to have prediabetes and be at risk of developing the condition within 3-5 years, support is urgent and necessary. The value of proper diabetes self-care is undisputed, but barriers to acquire and implement these tools make self-care unattainable for many.

“Whether you are living with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, or prediabetes, the education you receive, the healthcare you pursue, and a healthy lifestyle plan can make a positive impact on how individuals living with diabetes can live healthy, productive lives and avoid the complications associated with their conditions,” concluded Cilenti. “Our organization brings this type of educational programming to anyone in New Jersey living with, at risk for, or interested in learning more about diabetes.

Inquiries regarding Diabetes Care Month programming should be directed to Ben Martin of EFK PR, at ben.martin@efkgroup.com. Any questions about direct diabetes support or care should can be answered directly by the Diabetes Foundation at info@diabetesfoundationinc.org or by calling (201) 444-0337.

About Diabetes Foundation

Founded in 1990, the Diabetes Foundation is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to empowering individuals struggling with prediabetes, Type 1, Type 2, or gestational diabetes. The Foundation is committed to providing access to critical resources and medication necessary for people living with diabetes to remain healthy. The Foundation provides a number of programs serving children, parents, adults, caregivers and their families regardless of income or healthcare coverage. The generous support from patrons and sponsors allows the Diabetes Foundation to continue to offer their services to the community for free. You can learn more about the foundation at www.diabetesfoundationinc.org or by calling (201) 444-0337.