b'Diabetes Intervention Program Combats High Prevalence of DiabetesBy Debra YoungTheBrooklandLakeviewEmpowermentCenterGetting Started(BLEC)inWestColumbiaSCisattheforefrontFunded by a grant from the Department of Human ofcombatingthehighincidenceofdiabetesinServices(DHS)OfficeofMinorityHealth,Dr. African American and Hispanic communities. TheirCottonexplainedthattheywereapproachedby partnershipwiththeSCDepartmentofHealthDHECtoconsiderapplyingforthegrant.Even andEnvironmentalControl(DHEC),Benedictthoughinitiallyonlyfourgrantswouldbeawarded College,andtheUniversityofSouthCarolinaintheentireUS,DHECassuredthemtheywould (UofSC)isimpactingtheprognosisforprediabetichelpco-writethegrant.So,theDHECteamled anddiabeticcitizensresidinginWestColumbia,byKristianMyers,ProgramEvaluationManager Cayce,andsurroundingcommunities.WiththewiththeDivisionofDiabetesandHeartDisease helpoftheirpartners,theBLECManagement,co-wrotethegrant startedaDiabetesInterventionwith the BLEC team.When DHS ProgramknownasDIP.Accordingannouncedtheawards,theywere toSylviaFlint,ProjectCoordinator,elatedtolearnthatDHSawarded andDr.CindyeRichburgCotton,seven grants and BLEC was one of PrincipalInvestigatorandProjectthe seven.Dr. Cotton reports being Manager,thepurposeofthisthree- evenmoreexcitedtolearnthatit yearfederallyfundedprogramistowasatwo-yeargrantawardwith addressthehighincidenceoftypethe option of a third year based on 2diabeteswhichdisproportionatelyperformance. afflictsracialandethnicminorities in the US.Based on their research,BLECdidnotwasteanytime LexingtonandRichlandcountiesgettingtheprogramstarted.The havesomeofthehighestprevalencegrantwasawardedonSeptember ofdiabetesamongracialethnic29, 2021, staffed in November, and minoritiesinSC.Thedatashowlaunched its first cohort virtually on nearly twice as high for Hispanics inFebruary1,2022.Sheexplained LexingtonCountycomparedtothethatthegoaloftheprogram wholestate:Lexington9.8%(2017- istoimplementeightcohorts 2019)SouthCarolina5.4%(2017- BLEC Cindy Richburg Cotton of25participantsrepresenting 2019).approximately8-12families.Each cohortwillcompletea24-weekprogram. Thefirst SylviadescribesBLECasamajorinitiativeof20weekswillconsistofweeklyintensivegroups theBrooklandCenterforCommunityEconomiclifestyleinterventionsessionsfocusedonteaching Change(BCCEC),anon-profitorganizationwithparticipantshowtobettermanagetheirdiabetes themissionofmobilizingthesupportofhealth,and teaching prediabetic participants how to prevent education,andeconomicstoimprovethequalitygettingdiabetes.Afterthe20thweek,bi-weekly oflifeforthecitizensofthesurroundingareas.Acheck-insareconductedwithparticipants.In30 nonprofitorganizationaffiliatedwithBrooklandweeks, they will follow up with booster meetings to BaptistChurch,thecenterprovidesawiderangeensure participants are staying on track.Dr. Cotton ofsocialserviceprogramsthatbenefitarealow-pointedoutthatasparticipants wanefromweekly andmoderate-incomeresidents.Theircurrentmeetingstheywillhavetheinformationtheyneed programmingdirectlyservesapproximately15,000tohelpmanagetheirdiabetesandpracticehealthy residents. behaviors such as eating more fruits and vegetables, 14IMARA'