A Path to Successfully Living with Diabetes

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, you aren’t alone – it’s estimated that 98 million Americans are prediabetic, and another 38 million live with diabetes.

You may have heard about diabetes-related blindness, amputations, kidney failure, neuropathy, and wounds that won’t quickly heal. Poorly managed diabetes can contribute to these and other maladies, but they are not inevitable. The good news is that while diabetes is a serious disease, it is manageable. As Sharon Graff, FMC’s Diabetes Care & Education Specialist, says, “Well-managed diabetes is the leading cause of nothing.”

Whether you’ve recently been diagnosed or have lived with diabetes for years, you can learn to manage your condition to be free of complications. FMC’s diabetes team tailors learning to your needs and circumstances. You’ll learn about diabetes and best management practices. There’s no shame or guilt associated with our program – just information and motivation that helps you make informed decisions that harmonize with your lifestyle and goals.

Your path to confidently living with diabetes begins with a private appointment with a Registered Dietician/Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist to learn facts and dispel myths about diabetes, discover what you’d like to know about managing your diabetes, and, depending on where you want to focus, schedule additional private or group appointments.

Three classes will follow, in which you’ll acquire a deeper understanding of diabetes while learning about drugs, devices, diet, and lifestyle choices that can help manage it. You’ll also learn how to make the most of your visits with your physician.

Following class instruction, you’ll be invited to participate in monthly, one-hour support group sessions that are free. During these fun, informal gatherings, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, share your story, and hear how others have navigated living with diabetes.

Sharon lost her grandparents to complications of diabetes and is passionate about helping you successfully manage your disease. She earned degrees at Penn State and Case Western Reserve, is board-certified in Advanced Diabetes Management, and worked as a diabetes educator with a major pharmaceutical company.