PEI

Free diabetes screening for Islanders throughout November

Islanders can attend free diabetes screening and risk assessment clinics in locations across the province during the month of November.

More than 15,000 Islanders live with diabetes, according to Health PEI

Seven-year-old Ellie Clark holds her insulin pump, which also works with an implant to display blood sugar levels, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007, in Grandville, Mich. Diabetes care is undergoing a transformation. Thousands of patients are switching from a few finger-pricks a day to track their disease to new sensors that keep guard around the clock. The last six months brought big boosts to the technology, as federal health officials approved the first model for children _ one that works for three days in a row _ and the longest-working version yet, a seven-day model for adults. The ultimate goal is to create an "artificial pancreas," pairing these sensors with insulin pumps that would automatically dispense doses to make a diabetic's blood sugar more like a healthy person's.
On average, 860 Islanders are diagnosed with diabetes each year, according to Health PEI. (Adam Bird/The Associated Press)

Islanders can attend free diabetes screening and risk-assessment clinics in locations across the province during the month of November.

More than 15,000 Islanders live with diabetes, approximately one in nine over the age of 20, according to Health PEI. On average, 860 Islanders are diagnosed with diabetes each year.

New strategy

Health PEI is in the final stages of developing a new four-year provincial diabetes strateg that will be released in early 2019.

More than 340 Islanders, including those living with diabetes and their caregivers, helped to inform the priorities of the new strategy through a series of focus groups held over the summer and an online survey.

A diabetes summit involving health-care providers and advocacy groups such as Diabetes Canada was held in September, providing participants with the opportunity to discuss and offer input on the new strategy.

Islanders can attend one of clinics listed at www.healthpei.ca/copdanddiabetesclincis.

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