Patti LaBelle was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after passing out on stage during a performance. She’s outspoken about the importance of managing diabetes.
The event exceeded expectations as a larger crowd than expected came together to learn about the state of minority health and health disparities.
GHS will host its 10th Annual Minority Health Summit Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the TD Convention Center. The summit’s theme is “Taking charge of diabetes and mental health.”
Patti LaBelle, a two-time Grammy winner, will be the keynote speaker.
“Throughout the year, we hear testimonials and stories about how the summit has changed lives, opened the doors for access to care and impacted the health of our community,” said Melinda Hudson-Gillispie, a GHS community relations coordinator, who organizes the event. “People have left the summit motivated to get screened for various diseases and have changed their lifestyles.”
LaBelle was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after passing out on stage during a performance. She’s outspoken about the importance of managing diabetes and she has authored cookbooks with healthier recipes for dishes like pork chops and chocolate pecan pie.
“It is troubling to review the numbers of people diagnosed with diabetes in our communities, but it’s even more alarming to learn about those who are not managing the disease and making the necessary lifestyle changes,” said Dr. Leon Buffaloe, an internist with GHS Family & Internal Medicine.
According to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the state had the seventh highest prevalence of diabetes in the nation in 2014. One in six African Americans has diabetes compared to one in nine white adults. The disease is the seventh leading cause of death in South Carolina and African Americans had more than two times a higher death rate compared to whites in 2014.
Diabetes risks and complications:
• Four out of five people with diabetes in South Carolina are overweight or obese
• Seven out of 10 people with diabetes have hypertension
• Two out of three people with diabetes have high cholesterol
• Cases of end-stage renal disease attributable to diabetes have increased by 50 percent in the last 10 years
• Two out of five people with diabetes have not taken a diabetes self-management class
The summit will also include a presentation about mental health and there will be a panel discussion with GHS physicians, including a podiatrist, internists, psychiatrist and nephrologist, as well as a dietitian. The panel will address common questions that people have regarding diabetes and mental health.
Another staple of the summit is its ability to share important health information in an entertaining atmosphere. This year, the Crunk Cardio Team, a hip hop dance ministry, will energize the crowd.
The GHS Minority Health Summit, which averages more than 2,000 attendees, is a free event, but registration is required. People can register by calling 1-877-447-4636 or visiting here.