Nyack Hospital Hosts JDRF Type 1 Diabetes Support Group

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is now hosting monthly Type 1 diabetes support group meetings at Nyack Hospital.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation will host two Walk to Cure Diabetes events in October, one in Rockland County and one in Bergen County. To register, visit northernnj.jdrf.org.

Nyack Hospital recently began hosting monthly support group meetings run by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Northern New Jersey and Rockland Chapter for individuals affected by Type 1 diabetes. The goal of the support group meetings is to introduce people affected by Type 1 diabetes to each other, to support one another through talking about the illness.

JDRF outreach coordinator Michele Hughes finds a guest speaker for each meeting. Last month, Iris Epstein, RD, CDE, CEDRD, spoke about diabetes 101 for caregivers. Hughes says she aims to include a speaker from a glucose monitoring company and someone who specializes in exercise and dealing with Type 1. She is also open to suggestions from parents. “Whoever they would like to see come, I will try to find someone to meet that need,” she says.

While attendees are usually parents of children with Type 1, “we do have many adults with Type 1 as well. Last month we had a nice cross section of adults and kids with Type 1, and parents of young children with Type 1,” says Hughes, who has a 16-year-old daughter with Type 1 diabetes. “We have teens that help run [a kid’s corner with crafts and activities for attending children], and they’ll talk with the kids about diabetes. It’s very helpful for children to see other kids [who are living with Type 1 diabetes].”

The monthly support group meets the third Tuesday of every month in Nyack Hospital’s cafeteria conference room.