ARLINGTON, Va. and DALLAS and CHICAGO, April 1, 2021 — The American Diabetes Association® and the American Heart Association® have awarded up to $900,000 to organizations to help people living with type 2 diabetes lower their risk for cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, heart failure and stroke. The Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition is thrilled to be among the list of grant recipients.
The community grants are part of the leading health non-profits’ joint Know Diabetes by Heart™ initiative which seeks to reduce cardiovascular events and deaths among people with type 2 diabetes. The grants will help organizations in 10 states deliver diabetes and cardiovascular disease education materials and resources. Outreach efforts will focus on engaging Black and Latino populations which experience higher rates of diabetes, heart disease and stroke compared to non-Hispanic white populations.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and a major cause of disability for all people living with type 2 diabetes, yet only about half age 45 or older understand their increased risk for developing heart disease or have discussed it with their doctor1.
“Knowledge is power and arming these community organizations with resources and accessible information is key for people with type 2 diabetes to better understand their elevated risk for heart disease and stroke,” said Robert A. Gabbay, MD, PhD, FACP, chief scientific and medical officer for the American Diabetes Association. “We are pleased to work with these 10 organizations who are dedicated to improving the health of their communities to get the information into the hands of those who need it most.”
“This is a good time to protect yourself from diabetes-related heart disease and COVID by making lifestyle changes that can help you improve your overall health and better manage your diabetes. It’s good for your heart health and kidney health and will contribute to a longer, healthier life,” said Eduardo Sanchez, MD, MPH, FAAFP, the American Heart Association’s chief medical officer for prevention.
The Diabetes Empowerment Education Program (DEEPTM) was developed to address lack of diabetes literacy and self-management among ethnic and racial minorities. The DEEPTM model has three components: the training of trainers (TOT), the educational program that includes a facilitator’s manual and the participant’s manual. Esther Sciammarella, the Executive Director from the Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition, says “Mejor es curar que prevenir”.
KDBH Community Grants are Awarded to:
Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition – University of Illinois at Chicago Diabetes Empowerment Education Program (DEEP)
Illinois
Clemson University
Health Extension for Diabetes
South Carolina
Gateway Community Health Center
Gateway Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Self-Management Program Texas
InquisitHealth
Peer Mentoring Program
New York and Nevada
Johns Hopkins University
DECIDE Self-Management Support Program
Maryland and Kansas
New Mexico State University
NMSU Cooperative Extension Service diabetes self-management programs
New Mexico
Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute
Project Dulce – Dulce Digital
California
Texas A&M University Center for Population Health and Aging
Your Diabetes, Your Heart
Texas
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Jefferson Health Preventive Cardiology Program
Pennsylvania
Esperanza
Champions of Hope: Latinos Preventing Diabetes
Pennsylvania
Know Diabetes by Heart is made possible with support from founding sponsors, the Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company Diabetes Alliance, and Novo Nordisk, and national sponsors, Sanofi, AstraZeneca and Bayer. For more information, visit KnowDiabetesbyHeart.org.