Mega Doctor News
With diabetes cases surging nationwide, awareness can’t wait.
Currently, 40 million Americans, about 12% of the population, are living with diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while 115 million more have prediabetes, an elevated blood sugar condition that often progresses to type 2 diabetes without timely intervention.
In South Texas, the Rio Grande Valley is facing an escalating diabetes crisis, with diagnosis rates far exceeding both state and national averages. Recent estimates indicate that 25% to more than 43% of adults across the four-county region have type 2 diabetes, an alarming reality driven by widespread risk factors such as obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol.
“Diabetes isn’t just a health statistic in the Valley, it’s a daily struggle affecting families in every neighborhood,” says Tom Castañeda, System Director of Marketing and Public Relations, South Texas Health System (STHS). “It affects the physical and mental health and overall wellbeing of families and the future of our region. Addressing this crisis requires urgency, collaboration and a firm commitment to early detection and prevention.”
While diabetes can often be prevented through healthy eating and regular physical activity, it’s essential to understand the risk factors, recognize the warning signs and learn the best practices for effectively managing the condition.
To help educate and empower Valley residents to take steps to prevent, delay or manage diabetes, STHS is partnering with Prominence Health to host its annual Prevent, Treat & Beat Diabetes Symposium, a family-friendly conference and expo offering educational seminars, interactive exercise and cooking demonstrations, and level of care health assessments and screenings to help the community stay on top of their health.
“Raising diabetes awareness begins with making sure every individual living with or at risk for this life threatening condition has the support and resources they deserve,” says Castañeda. “This annual symposium underscores the urgent, proactive work STHS and Prominence Health are doing to empower our communities with lifesaving education, highlight the serious dangers of diabetes and reinforce how early detection can dramatically reduce the risk of severe health complications.”
Taking place on Saturday, March 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the South Texas College Health Science Professions Campus (Building B), located at 1901 S. McColl Rd. in McAllen, the symposium will feature more than a dozen educational seminars led by local healthcare professionals in English and Spanish, along with interactivecooking and exercise demonstrations, which are all designed to equip attendees with the tools they need to prevent, treat and beat diabetes through healthy lifestyle choices, effective riskfactor management and more.
The free conference is open to the public and will include a special expo offering nocost health checks and screenings, along with information on locally available resources to help Valley residents fight diabetes.
For more information on the Prevent, Treat & Beat Diabetes Symposium, including the full schedule of presentations, visit sthseducation.com.
