Current News > September 17th, 2009: Building Healthier Communities on the Agenda at KDH
Building Healthier Communities on the Agenda at KDH
For immediate Release - Thursday, September 17, 2009
Kemptville, ON, September 17, 2009: Kemptville District Hospital’s CEO Colin Goodfellow will be the first person to tell you that KDH is in the business of building healthier communities, something the educators of the Diabetes Clinic take to heart. Not content to only offer sessions on diabetes education, they have expanded this year’s programming to include sessions on hypertension and heart disease.
Over five million Canadians have been diagnosed with high blood pressure (or hypertension) and 43 percent of Canadians with high blood pressure don’t even know that they have it. With no obvious symptoms, it is often called the “silent killer” and is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease.
Nancy Goetz, RN and Alia Khudhair-Gilmer, RD discuss lifestyle interventions that help patients prevent, control and treat high blood pressure, measure blood pressure at home, tips for decreasing sodium intake and more. The next session is on September 30th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the classroom at Kemptville District Hospital. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. Please contact the Diabetes Clinic at 613-258-6133, ext. 212 (Nancy Goetz) or 613-258-6133, ext. 216 (Alia Khudhair-Gilmer) for more information or to register for this session.
KDH’s Diabetes education program continues to be offered monthly to the community free of charge. One of the educators, Nancy Goetz, RN was recently recognized by the Canadian Diabetes Association Diabetes Educator Section with their Continuing Education Award for 2009. In discussing the Award, Goetz tried to put it in perspective for clients. “Continuing education is just as important for educators, such as Alia and myself, as it is for patients. You want your health care providers to know the most up to date research and treatment options. You should do the same for yourself when it comes to a condition such as diabetes”. Goetz suggests that people with diabetes should become informed by attending education sessions offered at KDH. She also suggests that past clients consider attending “refresher” courses every three to five years.
The Diabetes Clinic education program is held every month. They also offer education programs on diabetes prevention and an insulin program. For dates of upcoming sessions, please visit www.kdh.on.ca or call the clinic for more information.
The next Pre-Diabetes education program will be held on November 17 with a Grocery Store Tour on November 19.
Next up for the team: a special session on women and heart disease with Robyn Houle of the Heart and Stroke Foundation on November 25th!
For information on upcoming special topics or other diabetes education programs, please visit www.kdh.on.ca
For more information contact:
Linda Bell
Director, Kemptville District Hospital Foundation/ Manager, Hospital Communications
Tel: 613-258-6133 x 194
lbell@kdh.on.ca