Featuring Free Screenings, Tony Award Winner Ben Vereen and Racecar Driver Charlie Kimball
NEW ORLEANS, LA-Taking Control of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) will hold its conference for local people with diabetes on Saturday, May 8, 2010, from 9 am to 4:30 pm at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner. The TCOYD conference, lunch and health fair brings national and local medical experts in diabetes care to people living with diabetes, for a day of highly informative and motivational programs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Louisiana ranks among the top 10 states with the highest prevalence of diabetes, with approximately 10 percent of residents being diagnosed with diabetes by a physician. For 2007 alone, the State estimates the dollar cost of diabetes to be $2.4 billion.
At the TCOYD conference, leading specialists such as Dr. Steven Edelman, internationally recognized leader in diabetes treatment and Founder and Director of TCOYD, conference co-directors Lawrence Blonde, MD, FACP, FACE of Ochsner Health System and Dr. Vivian Fonseca of Tulane University and other medical professionals from across the country will offer an event that provides practical advice to those living with the disease, discusses the latest developments in treatments, the complications of the disease, psychological barriers to controlling diabetes, and nutritional issues.
"This TCOYD conference will give people an edge on the information and empowerment they need to live well with diabetes," said Dr. Steven Edelman, Founder and Director of TCOYD.
TCOYD conference participants can hear lectures, participate in screenings, experiment with different forms of exercise and speak one-on-one with diabetes specialists such as certified diabetes educators, podiatrists, dieticians and others.
"Here I am at 54 learning how to make changes and take my life back. TCOYD has given me hope," says a 2008 New Orleans conference attendee.
In addition to the conference, a health fair with approximately 50 informational exhibits from national and local diabetes-related companies and organizations will be open throughout the day. Lunch is included and will feature a presentation by Tony Award winning actor, dancer and singer Ben Vereen, who has been living well with type 2 diabetes. Vereen will speak about living with diabetes and the benefits of TCOYD and sanofi-aventis U.S.' "Start Taking Action Now for Diabetes" (S.T.A.N.D) program. Likewise, open wheel racecar driver Charlie Kimball will speak about living with type 1 diabetes and being the only licensed Indy car driver in history with the disease.
Pre-registration is recommended. Registration fees are $10 per person. Fees include a banquet lunch, healthy snacks and all conference activities. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE BY CALLING TCOYD. On-site registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and costs $15. The conference is from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. To register, get more information or learn more about the conference, call 800-998-2693 or visit http://tcoyd.org/national-conferences/new-orleans-2010.html.
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