By Alan Goldsmith - More than 29 million Americans are living with diabetes and another 86 million have pre-diabetes, which is characterized by elevated blood sugar levels that increase the risk of developing Type II diabetes. By 2050, researchers predict that one in three Americans will have some form of the disease. That is why Broward Health has made diabetes care and education one of its top priorities.
It’s also the driving force behind the Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes, presented by the American Diabetes Association in partnership with Broward Health. The Step Out Walk is a great way to come together with friends, family, and neighbors and help increase awareness about diabetes within our communities while raising money to help find a cure.
The Step Out Walk is a 5K that takes participants on an empowering journey through downtown Fort Lauderdale. You can walk and fundraise as an individual, a team of friends and family, or a company-sponsored team. We are just shy of our goal, so we need all the help, support, and participation we can get.
By registering for the Step Out Walk, participants will have an opportunity to raise money that directly supports life-saving diabetes research and treatments, like the kind of care happening at Broward Health. Our Diabetes Education Program at Broward Health Medical Center helps those with diabetes – or those who may be at a higher risk of developing Type II diabetes – learn how to live healthier, more productive lifestyles.
In addition to our Diabetes Education Program, Broward Health is also one of the few public healthcare systems to implement a Barcoded Medication Administration System (BCMA), which helps ensure patients receive the correct medications in their prescribed dosage at the right times. By using a simple, barcoded wristband, the BCMA helps improve efficiency and accuracy for caregivers while providing an additional layer of safety and security for patients.
Broward Health also offers a range of support for children living with pediatric diabetes. The Broward Health Pediatric Diabetes Centers provide comprehensive outpatient diabetes care and services to children and their families. Staffed by a team of specialists, including pediatric endocrinologists, nutritionists, psychologists, and certified diabetes educators, these centers are vital in helping children with diabetes maintain normal, healthy, and active lifestyles just like any of their peers.
Through these and other efforts, Broward Health is working to help South Florida residents with diabetes more effectively and efficiently manage their disease so they may continue living happy, productive lives. The Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes offers everyone an opportunity to help us in these efforts by raising awareness and money to help find a cure.
Alan Goldsmith is the Executive Vice President/Chief Administrative Officer at Broward Health and Chair of the 2019 Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes.