Interview Opportunities For November From Gottlieb Memorial Hospital
Gottlieb Memorial Hospital is helping to raise awareness for November National Diabetes Month through selected activities and events that highlight hospital programs and services regularly available to patients. According to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 24,500 diabetics are in the western suburban area of Melrose Park, Northlake, Forest Park, Stone Park, River Grove and Elmwood Park. More than 246 million people in the United States have diabetes, and by 2020, that number is expected to soar to 380 million. One in two minorities born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime, if current trends continue.
Here are some interview opportunities and timely story ideas for your consideration:
30 percent of all those with diabetes will experience a wound that won’t heal on its own. Approximately 86,000 diabetics a year will lose a leg or arm due to wound complications. Interview Dr. Richard Viglione, medical director of Gottlieb’s Wound Care and Hyperbaric Oxygen Center, about the dire importance of healing diabetic wounds and the special techniques available including silver dressings and hyperbaric oxygen chambers. Dr. Viglione can share case studies with you, including dramatic before, during and after photographs. We can also offer contact with area patients who have successfully had their problem wounds healed through the Wound Center.
Exercise is important for everyone but especially for those with diabetes. Gottlieb Health & Fitness Center Physiologist Brian Williams works with patients to create and follow exercise routines designed to boost circulation and keep blood sugar counts in check. Talk with Brian about how he assesses diabetic patients and what exercises he recommends. Interview Brian’s clients and follow them as they demonstrate their healthy routines.
Clark Chrisman is a certified pedorthist, meaning he creates molded or customized shoes and inserts for those with lower limb or foot problems, including those with diabetes. Clark is also a certified diabetic educator as well as a registered pharmacist who is director of the Gottlieb Pharmacy. He offers foot screenings and shoe fittings by appointment but in November is offering specially priced $20 diabetic foot screenings. Clark can conduct a foot screening on you and describe how he looks for neuropathy—the loss of protective sensation—through specialized tests. He can also share with you his answers to commonly asked questions about foot health.
Diabetes can require a total lifestyle change that can be overwhelming. Diabetic Educator Donna Billmeier regularly meets with patients with diabetes and their family members—often those recently diagnosed—and helps them master blood glucose testing and monitoring, medication regulation, address complications and help create family support in their diabetes self-care.
Losing weight and keeping it off is critical to diabetics. Through the Medical Weight Loss program, Dr. Richard Finegold regularly helps overweight patients successfully lose weight. Losing weight, exercising and eating nutritiously often can result in reduced medication for those who suffer from diabetes—some are able to go off insulin altogether. Dr. Finegold has special training in obesity and can discuss how he helps severely overweight patients, often with medical conditions, safely lose weight and keep it off. He can put you in touch with area patients who have dramatic “before” and “after” stories to share.