LIHUE — Diabetes is a serious problem in Hawaii and other parts of the world. Its seriousness defines it as one of the Pillars of Lionism, or areas of concern, along with vision, hunger, cancer and the environment.
The East Kauai Lions Club in partnership with other Lions clubs on Kauai, the state’s Department of Health, the Kauai Community College Nursing Department, and Hoola Lahui Hawaii invites people to “Take Charge of Your Health” on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kauai Community College Fine Arts Auditorium.
“This is a call to raise the awareness of the need to better control your diabetes,” said Maureen Tabura, an assistant professor and the (KCC) Nursing Department Program Coordinator. “Or, if pre-diabetic, implement measures to reverse it to avoid the complications we see on Kauai, as well as in the state.”
Some of these complications include the number of dialysis seats needed on Kauai is greater than the number of seats available.
“We need to help reverse this growing problem,” Tabura said. “According to the state’s Department of Health (DOH), diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in Hawaii. As an advertisement being run by the DOH on local television states, ‘Stop! The time to do something is now.’”
According to information provided by Tabura, the Hawaii Health Data Warehouse reports 13.7 percent of residents on Kauai were diagnosed with pre-diabetes in the years 2020 through 2022.
“Four out of five people do not even know they have pre-diabetes,” Tabura said. “If left untreated, people diagnosed with pre-diabetes will result in becoming a diabetic.”
People attending the event will have an opportunity to listen and talk story with various health care professionals, including a dietitian, podiatrist, nephrologist, Internal Medicine, Diabetes Educator.
People can also enjoy an “exercise snack” or sampling of cooking demonstrations.
“We are bringing in specialists to discuss these risk factors, complications and ways to live healthier,” Tabura said. “We have the Kauai Community College nursing students providing free blood pressure, Body Mass Index and risk screens for diabetes.”
Hoola Lahui is providing a healthy eating cooking demonstration, free health breakfast food and snack exercising.
The Vision van will be present for free vision screening.
