Big Rapids Hospital

Diabetes Patient to Educate Peers

Educational Session Held March 2 at Big Rapids Hospital

If you have diabetes or care for someone who does, you know the challenges associated with managing the disease.   

To help ease the concerns of those with diabetes, JoAnn Henderson-Collins, a diabetes patient, will share her personal experiences with diabetes during a one-hour talk called Managing Diabetes: The Next Step. The session will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, in the Classroom at Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital.

JoAnn is a specially trained member of the A1C Champions Program, which provides a patient-led approach to diabetes education. She has diabetes and takes insulin as part of her overall treatment plan that also includes diet, exercise and medications. She knows first-hand the challenges of managing diabetes and the uncertainty associated with taking insulin. JoAnn will share information about diabetes self-management and insulin, based on her formal training and personal experiences.

During the presentation, JoAnn will share:

  • Why taking insulin is not a sign of failure, but will help achieve blood sugar control
  • The concerns she had about starting insulin
  • Misperceptions about insulin

Those interested in attending the event should register by calling 231.592.4483 or emailing Jodie.Hollen@spectrumhealth.org. Registration is preferred, but not required. When arriving for the event, meet in the main Big Rapids Hospital lobby, and a staff member will escort you to the classroom.

 

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system, based in West Michigan, offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of 12 hospitals, including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital; 188 ambulatory and service sites; more than 3,400 physicians and advanced practice providers, including nearly 1,400 members of the Spectrum Health Medical Group; and Priority Health, a health plan with about 710,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer, with 24,100 employees. The organization provided $283 million in community benefit during its 2015 fiscal year. Spectrum Health is the only health system in Michigan to be named one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems® by Truven Health Analytics for 2015. This is the fourth time the organization has received this recognition.

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