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Living With Diabetes

By Beacon Staff

Colleen Karper watched her sister-in-law live a happy life and raise two children, all while battling Type 2 diabetes.

It can be done. That’s the message spread by Karper and the staff at the Diabetes Care & Prevention Center at the Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

The local diabetes center is hosting its first health fair on Oct. 29 as an opportunity to educate and raise awareness in connection with American Diabetes Month in November. The fair is free and will take place at The Summit from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free screenings will be provided along with informational sessions about the benefits of healthy nutrition and exercise and how to manage the disease.

Diabetes rates continue to climb across the country in alarming numbers. Roughly 26 millions people have diabetes in the U.S., almost 9 percent of the population. In Montana, roughly 50,000 residents have the disease. Even more staggering, roughly 76 million people are at risk of developing it. Native Americans are especially prone, as roughly 16 percent of the total population is currently battling diabetes.

“The statistics are pretty staggering,” Karper, the program coordinator of the local Diabetes Care & Prevention Program, said.

“One of the reasons we’re here is to provide support and education. You can imagine the needs people have.”

In Karper’s opinion, diabetes is the most difficult chronic disease to manage. Those who have diabetes — either Type 1 or Type 2 — struggle with balancing blood sugar levels through insulin injections and nutritional monitoring. The process is a constant and complex juggling act, but it’s a necessary one.

“Diabetes changes your total lifestyle,” Karper said. “But I’d like to make this clear. It’s uncontrolled diabetes that leads to complications. If you manage your diabetes well, the scientific evidence and research shows us that you can prevent the complications of diabetes. That really is what November is all about and what this health fair is all about, raising that awareness and sharing a support group.”

The local care and prevention center is the only one in Northwest Montana and has satellite sites in Polson, Eureka and Libby, Karper said.

The center opened in 1999 and Karper, who has worked at KRMC for almost 25 years, took over as the “one-man show.” Three years later it was recognized as a Medicare-certified program. Today the center has four full-time educators, two nurse practitioners and visiting pediatricians throughout the year. Karper and staff partner with patients, their physicians and primary care providers to assist in creating a healthy lifestyle.

“It’s one thing to know what to do, but the really important part is helping people develop skills to change their lifestyles,” she said. “That’s our role.

“This is a position,” she added, “where I feel like I can make a difference to help people prevent the complications with diabetes.”

For more information about the health fair or to register, call 751-5454 or visit www.nwhc.org.