2008 Woodie Awards
Project DEAP hosts second diabetes walk
Gabriella Murray
Participants gathered in the Carden-Waller Building Friday to take part in the project DEAP (Diabetes Education Awareness Prevention) second annual Diabetes Walk-A-Thon.
Project DEAP, a component of the Prairie View A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, holds the walk yearly to educate the community on diabetes symptoms and prevention through healthy lifestyles.
According to the American Diabetes Association there are "14.6 million people already diagnosed with diabetes."
Approximately 3.2 million African Americans, 2.5 million Hispanic/Latin Americans, and 99,500 Native Americans are among the diagnosed tally.
The Walk-A-Thon featured health advice, diabetes safe recipe demonstrations, free blood sugar testing, goodie bags and raffles.
It also featured a question and answer session and a wealth of information on diabetes and its factors.
Dr. Caurnel Morgan, assistant professor for the department of nutrition and food sciences at Texas A&M University, explained the basics of diabetes and his three rules to live by.
"It's not the end if you get diabetes," Morgan said. "If you keep active, eat right, and continuously talk to your doctor, you can learn to live with diabetes."
One couple that testifies to the benefits of an active lifestyle and the teachings of Project DEAP are 85 and 84-year-old Al and Imogen Blue of Grimes County.
"We have been attending the seminars because two of our sons have diabetes and we needed to know more about it," said Mrs. Blue.
"We walk about two miles each day for five days a week and we are fine," she said.
Morgan also highlighted the importance of creating and maintaining a supportive group of friends and family.
"No matter how much fancy modern medicine we have, we need each other," Morgan explained.
"A lot of the medicine we need most comes from taking care of one another. People live longer when they have someone they know who cares for them close by," Morgan said.
Food demonstrations conducted by various extension agents taught attendees to make healthy meal options.
The "Very Berry Trifle Cake" being most popular among younger attendees.
Crystal Thornton, a senior chemistry major, said "I don't have diabetes, but I would consider making this desert at home, it's good."
The event concluded with door prizes, closing remarks, and the promise of a third Walk-A-Thon the same time next year.
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M Shree Franklin
posted 2/28/08 @ 10:39 AM CST
These are the kinds of events that the alumni should be made aware of and we should do our part to bring attention to it. We would if it was something we did not like. (Continued…)
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