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August 15, 2007
Diabetes: Closert0a Cure
continued
from Front
local participants who demon­
strated greater knowledge of
their diabetes risk factors and
preventative measures.
The AAHC packed a Tre­
mont Street apartment building's
community room last month with
people who became interested
in healthy soul-food cooking
through the exercise program.
AAHC president C orliss
McKeever described the ses­
sion as "a free educational semi­
nar that was not heard of seven
years ago: first of all in this
community, second of all people
having an interest in it, so that's
the kind of community norm
that we’ve changed around nu­
trition.”
Interest in basic cooking
methods is rising as more and
more people receive dietary re­
strictions from their doctors,
according to Jarod Sleet, the
Concordia New Seasons Mar­
ket cooking demonstration man­
ager who wowed people there
with his ability to sauté greens
and bake apples.
“Being an African American,
diabetes has always been an
issue for me,” Sleet says.
“There was a time when we
had to call everyone we know
just to fill the room, and now
there are w aiting lis ts,”
McKeever adds. "To have the
community moving from not
doing anything about it (healthy
lifestyles) to being very preven­
tion-focused is a major piece of
progress.”
Kaiser also tries to affect be­
havior with a health guide for
f
To have the community moving
from not doing anything about it
(healthy lifestyles) to being very
prevention-focused is a major piece
o f progress.
- Corliss McKeever, AAHC president
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photo by R aymond R endleman /T he P ortland O bserver
A nondescript building on Northeast Seventh and Hancock reads “Fresenius Medical Care ” but is
actually Northeast Dialysis Services, a medical facility owned by Diversified Specialty Institutes,
which has four dialysis centers in the Portland area, two in northeast.
Advertise with diversity Zzz
The 2007 Skidmore Prize
CALL FOR CANDIDATES
a 1,1 ^ J o r t l a u b
(O b se rv e r
Call 503-288-0033
ads@portl jndob sen er.com
The S kidm ore Prize h o n o rs o u tsta n d in g young
adults (age 35 and under) w ho devote th eir full­
tim e w ork to n o n -p ro fit org an izatio n s w ith in the
P ortland co m m unity. The purp o se is to recognize
an d encourage th eir lo n g -term c o m m itm e n t and
to inspire others.
W inners will be selected from the follow ing
categories: A nim als, The A rts, C o m m u n ity , The
E n v iro n m e n t, H ealth , Schools, Social W elfare,
and Youth.
The Skidm ore Prize strives to represent an d celebrate
the diversity of the P ortland M etro com m unity.
African Americans including a
"Soul Food Makeover" section,
diabetes classes targeting people
of color and currently a bill­
board for the farmers market on
Interstate Avenue picturing a
crate of cabbages and saying
"Rethink Fast Food.”
Kaiser’s website now recog­
nizes the existence of health
disparities as “a tragic problem
in the United States — a prob­
lem that needlessly kills thou­
sands of people every year.”
In studying Kaiser’s more
than 16,000diabetics diagnosed
in the past decade, the on-site
research center has the advan­
tage of a larger, more varied
profile.
Researchers there are veri­
fying that the majority of newly
diagnosed diabetics heed their
doctor’s advice to lose weight.
A significant proportion also
m anaged to m aintain their
weight at a level that has been
shown to control the symptoms
of diabetes.
The results suggest to re­
searchers the efficacy of free
nutrition and exercise programs,
to which diabetic Kaiser mem­
bers are automatically referred
upon diagnosis. Many doctors
previously thought “it would be
nice” if diabetics were able to
lose weight.
With hope rising for a Iifesty le
cure to diabetes, barriers to the
implementation of viable exer­
cise and nutrition programs re­
main. Young people, men and
people of color are al 1 less likely
to lose weight after a diabetes
diagnosis in the Kaiser program.
Kaiser researchers are set to
recommend that the agency
continue to build up its diabetes
programming, especially for at-
risk groups.
The local black population
has a particular stake in find­
ing a solution to thisexpanding
epidemic. African Americans
in M ultnomah County are 2.4
times more likely to have dia­
betes as C aucasians, com ­
pared to 1.8 times nationwide.
Even though diabetes-preven­
tion programs have proven ef­
fective, they can fail to receive
adequate financial support.
With a grant expiring next
4 promotional picture for Kaiser Permanente "s diabetes-support
group targets people of color.
month for exercise programs,
the AAHC is organizing a ben­
efit walk this Saturday in
Dawson Park.
The AAHC also must com­
pete indirectly for financial sup­
port with Kaiser and other
healthcare providers, which re­
ceive diabetes research money
through the National Institute of
Health.
"We all have to enter the race
to develop programs that work,
because there’s a limited pool
of funding,” McKeever says.
A competitive atmosphere re-
\ We 're all trying to do the same
thing. I f you can prevent people
from gaining weight, you can
prevent people from getting
diabetes, even if you have a
predisposition.
- Njeri Karanja, Kaiser nutritionist
mains even though agencies
have shared the knowledge of
how to combat type-2 diabetes
for many years.
“There’s never enough fund­
ing for these kinds of programs,
especially on the public-health
level,” says Njeri Karanja, a
nutritionist from Kenya who is
working on other Kaiser studies
that link obesity to diabetes.
So far Kaiser has been much
more successful in studying the
effects with at least eight such
studies in progress.
"They’re all looking at differ­
ent angles, but we’re all trying
to do the same thing,” says
Karanja. “If you can prevent
people from gaining weight, you
Dinner and a Movie -
continued
from Front
off.
“ I wanted som ething our
com m unity could relate to.
Something fam ily-oriented,”
Stoudamire said. “ It’s a good
summer flic.”
Another park that could gain
from a bad reputation is Alberta
Park.
“ I hear Alberta (Park) is
not utilized because it brings
real thuggish crowds. I object
to that. There are sisters and
brothers in that neighborhood
that would enjoy something
like this,” Stoudamire said.
He said a long term project
for outdoor movies is still in the
pilot phase, which is why he has
presented packages to sponsors
can prevent people from getting
diabetes, even if you have a
predisposition.”
K aiser researcher T eresa
Hillier headed a 2001 study that
linked obesity to the early onset
of this most common form of
diabetes. She knew then that
more lifestyle programs were
necessary, and she has long ar­
gued that such personal adjust­
ments can be the most effective
mechanism at a patient’s dis­
posal.
“We need to find effective
ways to help people lose weight
in theirdaily lives,” Hillier said.
“Finding ways to do this is more
than a medical issue. Reducing
obesity in America will take hard
work and cooperation among
everyone — parents and family
members, health care provid­
ers, counselors, schools, employ­
ers and local, state and federal
public-health agencies.”
But back in the forgotten build­
ing on Northeast Seventh Av­
enue. Johnson cannot continue
to wait for a wide-scale effort to
combat diabetes.
“Right now they’rejust trying
to make it as comfortable as
possible,” he says. “I just really
want to get well and get out of
here.”
f^ a tu r a fe
at different commitment levels
ranging from $75 to$ 1,000plus.
He offers sponsors tabling op­
portunities and advertising in the
event schedule and on screen
before the movie; even shot outs
from the D.J.
“ It’s all tax deductible,” he
adds coolly.
Stoudamire hopes to estab­
lish a rhythm now and book
several Fridays and Saturdays
o f next summer with no com ­
plications. The six parks he
hopes to utilize are Irvington,
Peninsula, Fernhill, Overlook,
Alberta and of course U niver­
sity.
With the help of the commu­
nity, M arquise Stoudam ire’s
aspiration may transform into
his neighborhoods’ inspiration.
Recipients of the 2007 Skidm ore Prize will receive
a $4,000 personal grant and plaque at the awards
luncheon in N ovem ber, and will be featured w ith
their organization in the W illam ette W eek’s annual
G ivelG uide.
Deadline: Midnight, September 4, 2007
For additional eligibility criteria an d to n o m in ate
som eone for the 2007 S kidm ore Prize, go to:
wweek.com/skidmoreprize
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