A Doctor's Idea Leads to a New Center with an Emphasis on Prevention For many years, diabetes has weighed heavily on the mind of Dr. Michael Fisher, a Santa Barbara kidney expert. He pondered complexities of the disease, its physical costs, its social and financial burden. Unchecked, the disease causes heart problems, stroke, and nerve damage-- triggering amputations, blindness and kidney failure with more frequency than any other ailment. So Dr. Fisher, who treats diabetics on a daily basis, asked himself, "If it's a manageable and even preventable disease, how can we do that? Clearly, if we invest something now, we can save billions later." A brainstorm ensued, and results of that inspiration are bearing fruit. With Fisher at the helm, a collection of Santa Barbara health professionals, researchers, social service workers, business people and politicians came together in early 2000 and created a nonprofit organization to better link diagnosed and still undiagnosed diabetics with treatment teams, counselors, dietitians and educators. Setting up in space donated at the Santa Barbara Artificial Kidney Center on State Street where Fisher treats kidney dialysis patients, The Diabetes Resource Center of Santa Barbara County was born. "Most of those patients don't have to be sitting there hooked up to a dialysis machine," the doctor said recently. "Many are there because unmanaged diabetes has ravaged their bodies." With a focus on prevention chief among the center's stated goals, Fisher and his team are dedicated to bringing resources together to create a healthier tomorrow for the community. |
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"There is compelling evidence that for every two people diagnosed with the disease, there is another person who has the disease but doesn't know it," according to a l999 county Public Health Department survey. At the time of the survey, 7 percent of Latinos in Santa Barbara County had been told they had diabetes, compared to 5 percent of overall county residents. With a total population of 405,000, there are over 28,000 diabetes sufferers, one-third undiagnosed. The survey concludes, "Greater screening efforts are needed to identify those with diabetes who aren't aware of it." Hope for the Future Other likely projects for the DRC are a film about diabetes, and the expansion of diabetes management services for the underserved in Santa Barbara County. The center comes at a time when prominent researchers seek to cure diabetes with ground-breaking pancreatic cell transplantation and other new techniques currently explored at the local Sansum Medical Research Institute. Dr. Fisher hopes to involve local high school and college students in projects through the new center. Participating dietitians will steer at-risk children toward healthy foods that do not promote obesity. "The kids who
Adapted from an article by Find out how you can Help the DRC make a difference. |