Serena Cerniglia approached the Touro University Mobile Education Diabetes Education Center with a little trepidation.
She was already familiar with the term pre-diabetes having heard it four years ago. She dropped by the Kroc Center Friday and in less than 15 minutes had her results and a one-on-one session with Anne Lee, the diabetes program coordinator for the mobile unit.
“It was very beneficial,” the Suisun City resident said. “I’m thinking I need to make some changes to my diet, less bread.”
She was also encouraged to contact her regular doctor and think about some of the free courses offered through the mobile unit.
The unit has been visiting Solano County cities since April. The Kroc Center was the first of seven scheduled for July. The visit was set to last about four hours. That time was extended when the mobile unit staff learned a concert was being held in the Kroc auditorium in the early evening.
Deanna Dickey drives the pickup that pulls the 35-foot-long trailer. Her mother has diabetes and has taken advantage of the programs.
Dickey also operates some of the testing equipment. She and Lee are certified to do one-on-one workshops with diabetics.
Extending their stay at the Kroc offered a new demographic the chance to be tested, Dickey noted.
The unit was parked alongside the building, easily accessible from the front door. Those who dropped by were welcome inside the air-conditioned trailer for water and swag bags – insulated lunch sacks.
Nahal Massoudi, a first year student at Touro, was one of the students helping out. Her goal is osteopathic medicine. Massoudi graduated from UCLA and moved here recently to attend Touro University on Mare Island.
It’s all about education, said Lee. More than 10 percent of Solano County’s adult population lives with diabetes. An estimated 29 million Americans have Type 2, which can be prevented.
Something as simple as not eating starch with an evening meal can make a big difference, Dickey said.
“We give them tips on how to bring their blood sugar down,” Lee said.
In June, the mobile unit tested about 440 people throughout the county. Eight were diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes.
The mobile unit is funded by a grant and often works in conjunction with Solano County’s public health department as well as Sutter Health.
Services are free. Printed materials are written in English and Spanish.
A schedule of upcoming stops can be found at http://tu.edu/mobec. Those who would like to have the mobile unit visit, can also request one via the website.
Touro University offers free diabetes screening, education via mobile unit
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