Q I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes this year. One of my friends said she went to a great program last summer. Do you know if there will be one this year? — J.F., Greenville

A Your question came at just the right time. My colleagues in the Diabetes Center had just asked me if I could promote their Winning with Diabetes program that will be held July 12. So I asked Mindy Saenz, a dietitian and diabetes educator at the Brody School of Medicine, to tell you what is so great about the Winning with Diabetes program. Here is what Mindy has to say:

Winning with Diabetes, the all-day diabetes-education program, got rave reviews last year. People liked the speakers and the chance to have their feet examined by experts. They enjoyed the time with diabetes product company representatives displaying their meters and pumps and medicines and other diabetes-related products. They enjoyed the chance to ask questions about their own diabetes management from doctors, pharmacists, nurses and dietitians. They carried home the imprint of their feet showing pressure points. There was lots of good diabetes educational information available that day. Everyone had a great time, so we decided to do it again.

On July 12, the seventh annual Winning with Diabetes program will be held at St. James United Methodist Church. Registration starts at 8:15 a.m. The program runs from 8:45 a.m-4 p.m. with lunch at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $25.

Annette Newell from WNCT-TV will be there to welcome everyone and get things started. Dr. Robert Tanenberg will be the keynote speaker and will be talking about some of the dangers of not controlling our diabetes and giving us tips on how to do a better job to prevent those things from happening. Other speakers will talk about protecting our kidneys, managing depression and having good dental health. There will be a special performance by the Carolina Girls Line Dance Entertainers.

In the afternoon, there will be two cooking demonstrations, a session on nutrition and label reading, and a session on physical activity. In addition, participants can get their feet, blood pressure, cholesterol and kidneys screened for problems.

There will be displays from the different diabetes product companies during the morning, and you will also have a chance to win door prizes.

A lot of diabetes educators and other area leaders interested in diabetes have been working on this program most of this year: Cathy McLean, Theresa Blount, Mary Hall, Ella Patrick, Mindy Saenz, Susan Houston, Sheri Crowder, Leisa Batts, Terry Congelton, Jackie Sugg and Minnie Anderson, to name a few. They will be there to help make your Winning with Diabetes Program experience the best yet. The group got a grant from the Pitt Memorial Hospital Foundation in addition to vendor support to ensure this was an affordable program.

Watch for registration forms, our newspaper ad, or call 744-2981 for more information.

Professor Kathy Kolasa, a registered dietitian and Ph.D., works with the Family Medicine Center, Brody School of Medicine at ECU. Contact her at kolasaka@ecu.edu.