by Laura Enriquez
Losing a limb is a fear that people with diabetes live with on a daily basis.
Taking responsibility and accepting diabetes was the overall theme of the Stepping Stones to Diabetes Awareness conference held in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory located near Belleville on September 28 & 29, 1998.
Approximately 160 people from across Ontario attended the two day conference. According to Brenda Asselstine one of the local organizers of the conference, “It was not all First Nation people who attended the conference.
We had people from our local hospitals and the Canadian Diabetes Association and presenters from our territory.”
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Conference coordinators:
back row l-r Brenda Asselstine, Shari Maracle, Lynn Brant, Carol Loft
front row l-r Helen Breadmen, Linda Maracle and Jean Jeffries
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Keynote speaker, Dr. Kham Vay Ung, D.P.M., a podiatrist from Sioux City, Iowa, addressed the topic of foot care.
According to Jean Jeffries, Master of Ceremonies at the conference, Dr. Ung’s approach in avoiding amputations sometimes caused by complications arising from diabetes was well received. She said Ung strongly supports other alternatives to healing the body, mind, and spirit be it through alternative or modern medicine. Jeffries reiterated Dr. Ung’s words, “It is not diabetes that’s the killer but its the complication arising from it.”
Asselstine further stated there were other areas the conference covered such as gestational diabetes, type one and two, male sexual problems and dialysis. A panel with type two diabetes shared their experiences in a group discussion with conference participants.
Rosalind Kerr, SOADI (Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative) spoke positively of the conference. Kerr was happy to see the wampum belt traveling from community to community. (The Iroquoian wampum belt represents a form of treaty among nations.) She explained that a challenge was made in the SOADI organization to promote diabetes awareness and to host the next conference. She said that it originally started in Six Nations, before proceeding on to Kahnawake then on to Tyendinaga, etc.
According to Kerr, SOADI has five regional representatives with Carol Loft representing Tyendinaga. The SOADI mandate is to promote diabetes awareness in Aboriginal communities and assist those communities in identifying appropriate resources and services. It also involves planning prevention and awareness strategies as well as coordinating community/regional programs and events based on community needs.
Barb Whiteye, (SOADI) western region said, “The topics of discussion went very well and exposed a great deal of information regarding diabetes. The most important factor for me was promotion. If I take one thing to my community it was well worth it.” she added.
Joy Brant, General Arts and Science student, Loyalist College in Belleville and a resident of Tyendinaga said, “It was an excellent conference. The materials and information was relevant to diabetes. Dr. Ung was fantastic and a real awakening for me. I learned that any diabetes case is salvageable. What people fear the most, like losing limb, is not that radical. People come to realize that the sooner you take action the better. My mother gets lesions on her legs and I’m more likely to watch they don’t whack off her leg. Both my mother and sister are diabetic.”
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“I think a great deal of education is desperately needed,” said Judalon Jeffries, Presenter, Family Therapist/Trainer. “So many people say we don’t talk about diabetes, but we must accept the responsibility of diabetes,” she added. Jeffries said she feels that we need to do something about diabetes by equipping ourselves with tools and medicines.
“We need to get a big picture of what we need to do and this conference is providing us with tools and resources and to take that initial step.”
| Generations of awareness
left: Jean Jeffries
right Judalon Jeffries
front: Luke Jeffries
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She added she is concerned of what will happen to our future children and the next seven generations. “It is our responsibility to become equipped with the skills and it is our job to ensure their well being.”
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