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For Immediate Release
October 11, 2002

Contact:
Anne Drouin
(207) 774-5801
E-mail: beryl@wolfenews.com

Beryl Wolfe
(207) 775-5115

Web Site: http://www.martinspoint.org

Martin's Point Health Care to Host Diabetes Fair Friday, Nov. 1

November is National Diabetes Education Month

Martin's Point Health Care will host its annual Diabetes Fair from noon to 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, at the Martin's Point Health Education Center at 331 Veranda St. in Portland.

Entitled "Diabetes Got You Down?", the free event coincides with National Diabetes Education Month and is aimed at providing information and answering questions about diabetes, which can lead to blindness, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and amputation.

People with chronic diseases such as diabetes experience episodes of depression and other mental health issues much more frequently than people without these illnesses, according to Leigh Kirchner, a Certified Health Education Specialist at Martin's Point.

"People with diabetes suffer ups and downs - both physically and emotionally," she said. "And those ups and downs can take a toll. Stress affects blood sugar levels, so it's important to pay attention to these issues."

The fair is free and open to the public. For more information, call (207) 828-2497.

[NOTE: Media interested in covering the fair must call first so organizers can obtain patient release forms and have a health professional available to talk with the media. Call either Anne Drouin of Martin's Point at 774-5801 or Beryl Wolfe of Wolfe PR at 775-5115. Thanks.]

Guest speaker Dr. Gordon Clark, a Portland area psychiatrist, will address the topic of mental health issues associated with diabetes. Jill Tiffany, RN, PhD, and a clinical specialist in the area of diabetes care, will focus on the patient perspective of getting the physical well being and emotional support they need from their health team.

Martin's Point dietitians, diabetes nurse educators, and health educators will also be on hand to answer questions. Interactive workshops and displays will help participants learn about stress reduction techniques and how these affect blood sugar, correct blood glucose monitoring techniques, and the latest in diabetes drug therapies. Free blood sugar and blood pressure screenings will be offered. Tai chi and yoga demonstrations will be presented and participants can sign up for a seated massage. Participants must call - (207) 829-2497 - to reserve a space in the opening session, which includes a light luncheon.

The Martin's Point Health Education Center offers a variety of resource materials, such as publications and videos, and classes that focus on a host of topics, ranging from weight management and smoking cessation to disease management.

The center, for example, offers extensive information on diabetes, which causes blood sugar levels to be too high. Over time, high blood sugar levels can harm nerves, eyes, kidneys, and heart and blood vessels. Nearly 70,000 people in Maine and 16 million Americans have diabetes, the fourth-leading cause of death by disease in the United States, according to the American Diabetes Association.

"The good news is, those with the disease can do a lot to stay healthy," said Kirchner. "Steps to manage diabetes include controlling blood sugar levels and blood pressure, choosing a low-fat, high-fiber diet, managing their weight and exercising regularly."

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.

Established in 1981, Martin's Point is a not-for-profit health care provider with facilities in Portland, Brunswick and Windham, Maine, and in Portsmouth, N.H. The largest primary care practice in Maine, Martin's Point has a staff of more than 300 health care professionals and serves 54,000 patients - including military retirees and dependents of active military personnel - under all major health plans. Martin's Point serves patients in the areas of family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, radiology, cardiology, and mammography, as well as other fields. For additional information on Martin's Point Health Care, visit them online at www.martinspoint.org.

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REPORTERS/EDITORS: For this and other Martin's Point news, go
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