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Vanderbilt Medical Center - Vanderbilt Diabetes in Nashville, TN

Our Outreach to the Community

 WALK TO CURE DIABETES: Saturday, September 19, 2009

STEP OUT TO FIGHT DIABETES: Saturday, November 7, 2009

A throng of dedicated brown-shirted walkers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Diabetes Center descended upon the Bicentennial Capitol Mall in downtown Nashville on Sept. 20, 2008 to participate in the local Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Walk to Cure Diabetes.

There were more than 100 of them, as well as a team that volunteered for such tasks as registering walkers, painting faces and cleaning up. And they were all there to do one thing: show everyone that they care about supporting diabetes research. The fact that they also had fun was just a bonus.
Three weeks later, another 100 Vanderbilt Diabetes Center walkers--this time in black t-shirts--marched through the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere as part of the American Diabetes Association’s Step Out to Fight Diabetes. As the animals were waking up, more than 2,000 walkers pounded the pavement and listened to the live music.
 
Since Vanderbilt was a title sponsor for the ADA event, a photographer lined up the whole Vanderbilt team for a photo. Just one problem: there were so many of them that the photographer had a hard time fitting everyone into one photo. “It was a good problem to have,” noted Britton Burton, coordinator for outreach and programs for Vanderbilt Medical Center. Another good thing: the two teams raised over $9,000 for diabetes research.
   
 In case you missed the 2008 walks, make sure you put them on your to-do list for 2009. Contact Britton Burton at britton.burton@vanderbilt.edu if you’re interested in receiving information next year about either the ADA walk or the JDRF walk. The 2009 Nashville JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes is already scheduled for Sept. 19 at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall.
 
 

 

Siloam Family Health Center

Siloam Family Health Center is a faith based clinic in Nashville just off of 8th Avenue.  It provides low-cost health care to people of Nashville and Middle Tennessee especially those without health insurance.  Several physicians and healthcare practitioners from the Vanderbilt-Eskind diabetes clinic work in a cooperative fashion (volunteering) at Siloam clinic to provide diabetes education, treatment and prevention. Above: Dr. Michael Fowler talks to a patient at Siloam. For more information on Vanderbilt Diabetes and Siloam, click here.

Diabetes Family Day

This event for children with diabetes and their families has been held annually for 5 years in early November. Last year's event was attended by over 300 people with the theme "Teaching Everyone About Managing (TEAM) Diabetes." Guest speakers over the years have included physicians and nurses from Vanderbilt and other nationally known diabetes experts. Activities for children included an exotic animal show, "Team Type 1," an elite cycling team whose members all have type 1 diabetes, and lots of other fun activities. The day provided a great opportunity to meet other families of children with diabetes, as well as interact with members of the diabetes team. Click here to view a slideshow of Family Day 2007.
 

Working with the Hispanic Community

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Hispanics are nearly twice as likely to develop diabetes as white, non-Hispanics. About 2.5 million Hispanic Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, and millions more may have the disease without knowing it. To combat this, Vanderbilt Diabetes is actively involved in educating and treating Nashville's Hispanic population. Pictured above: Dr. Michael Fowler and Norma Edwards, R.N., use role-playing exercises to convey diabetes information in Spanish at a recent health fair at John B. Whitsitt Elementary School. For more information on Vanderbilt Diabetes' work with the Hispanic community, click here.

UPDATE Conference

This annual conference is conducted for school nurses, primary care providers, and other health care professionals interested in diabetes. Past topics have included:

  • carb counting
  • managing high and low BG in the school setting
  • encouraging independence in teens with diabetes
  • hands on practice in using insulin pumps
  • navigating legal issues
     

This event is co-sponsored with Cumberland Pediatric Foundation, and CEUs are provided.

 

Tour de Cure  held Saturday, May 30, 2009

The 2008 Vanderbilt Diabetes Cycling team was 18 members strong and they raised $3,000. To read the more about the 2008 event, click HERE

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