One in three residents in north Broward County is currently living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Lisa Russell is one of them. Russell, who works in Broward Health's IT department as a business systems analyst, has been battling type-1 diabetes all her life. Her father also has the disease.
For Russell, living with diabetes is a matter of paying close attention to her health and keeping track of her blood sugar throughout the day. She wears an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring system. It's been an emotional journey for her as she's learned to manage her condition, but she uses it as an opportunity to educate others about the disease.
“Diabetes affects every part of your body and it’s important for people to gain understanding and have compassion for people who are dealing with this disease,” said Russell.
Russell will be participating in the upcoming Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes, which will take place on Saturday, October 20 at Huizenga Park in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Broward Health President/CEO Beverly Capasso will be serving as co-chair of Broward Health’s corporate team, along with Alan Goldsmith, our executive vice president and chief financial officer. Known as the American Diabetes Association’s signature fundraising event, it raises more than $500,000 for diabetes research and education.
Diabetes affects people from all walks of life -- from children to seniors and everyone in between. The 3.1-mile walk will draw people of all ages, including hundreds of our very own Broward Health employees, who are committed to raising awareness about diabetes. This is a chance for the community to unite in an effort to combat a disease that affects our family members, friends, neighbors and colleagues.
As one of the 10 largest public healthcare systems in the nation, Broward Health is committed to educating the community about diabetes and is a proud supporter of the Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes.
“Joining the walk is a way for you to show support for the cause and rally around people like me,” said Russell.
Join our team at the upcoming Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes in support of Russell and the countless other people in our community who are bravely battling this disease.
