KentuckyOne Health to Host Free Diabetes and Nutrition Expo

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David McArthur, Senior Manager, Media Relations
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KentuckyOne Health to Host Free Diabetes and Nutrition Expo
Event will educate community members about living with diabetes

Lexington, Ky. (March 2, 2017) — KentuckyOne Health is helping educate community members on living with diabetes and the risk for developing the disease, during its second Diabetes and Nutrition Expo on Saturday, March 18. The event will take place from 9 a.m.-noon at the Saint Joseph East Education Center, located at 160 North Eagle Creek Drive, Suite 200. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Anyone currently living with diabetes or at risk for developing the disease is invited to attend this free event.

Diabetes remains the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. More than 29 million Americans suffer from the disease, and of those, about eight million are actually undiagnosed. An estimated 86 million Americans who are 20 and older have prediabetes.

“Many people do not even realize they have this disease, which is why screenings are so important,” said Dana Graves, manager, KentuckyOne Health Diabetes & Nutrition Care. “We want to help keep community members healthy and informed, and hope this event will have a lasting impact on participants.”

The expo will include a cooking demonstration, as well as dozens of vendor and exhibit booths featuring diabetes information, activities and product samples. Free health screenings will be available for blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Foot screenings will also be offered. Giveaways and door prizes will be distributed throughout the event.

The keynote speaker for the event is Twany Beckham, a former basketball player for the University of Kentucky who was part of the 2012 championship team. Beckham is currently the Health and Wellness Director for the Kentucky Employees’ Health Plan, and helps promote wellness activities statewide.

Education sessions will be presented by KentuckyOne Health diabetes experts, including Leera Patel, MD, endocrinologist, KentuckyOne Health Endocrinology Associates; Billi Benson, exercise specialist, KentuckyOne Health Weight Loss Surgery; Janelle Schnake, registered dietitian, KentuckyOne Health Diabetes and Nutrition Care; and Amy Gibson, pharmacist, Saint Joseph East.

While both diabetes and prediabetes are serious conditions, they can be managed. The KentuckyOne Health Diabetes & Nutrition Care program works with patients to help them understand the disease, control symptoms and minimize risk for complications. This year’s Diabetes and Nutrition Expo is one way KentuckyOne Health plans to raise awareness and educate the Lexington community about the disease.

The expo is free and open to the public but registration is recommended. To register, please visit KentuckyOneHealth.org/DiabetesExpo. For more information, call 859.967.5653 or 859.313.1282.

About KentuckyOne Health
KentuckyOne Health, the largest and most comprehensive health system in the Commonwealth, has more than 200 locations, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes and home health agencies in Kentucky and southern Indiana. KentuckyOne Health is dedicated to bringing wellness, healing and hope to all, including the underserved. The system is made up of the former Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System, along with the University of Louisville Hospital and James Graham Brown Cancer Center. KentuckyOne Health is proud of and strengthened by its Catholic, Jewish and academic heritages.

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