Diabetes is the topic of choice at the fourth Focused Forum at ASU West.
The session is an educational lecture to inform the public about the disease that is reaching epidemic proportions.
There will be two sessions: "Managing Diabetes" and "What's to Eat?"
The sessions are designed to help diabetics and their families understand diabetes basics and how to continue with their lives. It also will help them find new ways to manage conditions diabetics may go through.
The first session will feature Jean Merkel, who will talk about nutritional goals, diet and managing protein, carbohydrate and fat consumption.
The second session will feature registered nurse Lynn Boudreaux. In a discussion ranging from the proper monitoring of blood sugar to how different types of diabetes are diagnosed, she will provide an overview of the disease to attendees.
"Diabetes is a self-managed disease, which means patients need to be well informed and properly educated in order to manage it successfully," Merkel said.
Merkel is a manager of the CIGNA Medical Group Diabetes Education and Nutrition Department. She also received her Bachelor of Science in dietetics and Master of Science in nutrition from ASU.
Kathleen Waldron, the interim director of the ASU Gerontology Program, helped plan the event and hopes to see at least 50 to 100 people attend.
"Diabetes is becoming an epidemic, I think the more education the public has, the better," Waldron said.
The main goal of this class is to make people aware of the issue and have as many attendees as possible. For any questions, call the ASU Gerontology Program at (602) 543-6698.
The session will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. in the ClCC Lecture Hall at ASU West. The cost for the event is $5 and it is open to the public.
Reach the reporter at: cristina.boccio@asu.edu.
