Diabetes Support Group at Martin’s Point Helps People Manage Their Diabetes

Free and open to public, the group will meet April 11, May 9 and June 13 this spring at Martin’s Point Health Care

Martin’s Point Health Care holds a monthly support group session for persons with diabetes. Free and open to the public, the Diabetes Support Group meets on the second Monday of each month from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

This spring, those meetings will be held April 11, May 9 and June 13 at the Health Education Center in the Carriage House on the Portland campus of Martin’s Point Health Care. Registration is not required. For more information, call 828-2497.

The goal of the support group is to provide an opportunity for people facing the same challenge of living with diabetes to get together to discuss concerns and issues and offer mutual support. The sessions are facilitated by Fran Casey, an RN and MSN.

Diabetes, a chronic disease with no cure, results in blood-sugar levels that are too high, which over time can harm nerves, eyes, kidneys, and heart and blood vessels. The cause remains a mystery, though both genetics and other factors – including obesity, a sedentary lifestyle and a diet high in calories– are major contributors. Over time, high blood sugar levels can harm nerves, eyes, kidneys, and heart and blood vessels.

Symptoms of diabetes include extreme thirst, blurry vision from time to time, frequent urination, unusual tiredness or drowsiness, and unexplained weight loss. Anyone with those symptoms should contact a doctor. Studies show that one in seven people diagnosed with diabetes can achieve control of the disease with lifestyle changes alone.

“Living with diabetes can be a balancing act; blood glucose monitoring, taking medications, using a healthy nutrition plan, exercising regularly, keeping regular visits with healthcare providers,” said Leigh Kirchner, a senior health educator at Martin’s Point. “Trying to keep up with these tasks, in addition to meeting all of life’s other demands, can be difficult, so a support group really helps.”

The meetings are set up as an open discussion format and may include presentations and/or organized activities. The Diabetes Support Group allows people an opportunity to learn from their peers by sharing their concerns, successes, coping strategies, recipes, tips and more.

Diabetes remains a significant health problem throughout Maine and nationwide. More than 17 million Americans – including at least 73,000 Mainers – have diabetes, the fifth-leading cause of death by disease in the U.S, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Martin’s Point, a not-for-profit health care provider with facilities in Portland, Brunswick and Windham, Maine, and in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, serves patients in the areas of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, radiology, cardiology, and mammography, as well as other fields.

The Martin’s Point Health Education Center has a variety of related resource materials that includes publications and videos. The center also offers information and classes that focus on a host of other topics, ranging from weight loss and smoking cessation to disease management. For additional information, visit online at www.martinspoint.org.

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