b"The Ladies of Faces of Health: Trusted VoicesBy Debra YoungThereissomuchjoyinconnectingwithinspiringenvironmental and social determinants.women.RecentlyIhadtheopportunitytospeakCarolyn expressed concern that statistics show up to 90 withthreeamazingwomenwhoareteamingupwith% of people in SC are walking around with prediabetes theDHECDivisionofDiabetesandHeartDiseaseand dont even know it. But, she noted, its controllable. ManagementtoparticipateintheFacesofHealthShestressedtheimportance,intheeraofwidespread campaign and use their voices to raise awareness aboutmisinformation,ofgettingthefactsoutthrough prediabetes, diabetes, and the availability of the Nationaladequate and factual messaging. In November 2021, in Diabetes Prevention program.They also strive to shine aconjunction with DHEC, Carolyns company completed spotlight on health disparities experienced by minoritiesafour-partdocumentary,narratedbyKimberlyAiken and people of color in South Carolina.Cockerham,ondiabetesprevention TheFacesofHealthcampaignandmanagement,designedtoprovide launchedwithKimberlyAikeninformationandpowerfulstoriesto Cockerham,MissAmerica1994andpeople. a SC native, narrating a public service announcementaboutprediabetesandFor Carolyn it's personal.Not only is the importance of taking an online riskshe a caregiver for her mother who has test to see if you have it. Future PSAsdiabetes, but she recently learned after willfeaturenarrationsfromwell- taking the prediabetes risk test on the knownindividualsaimedatarminginittogethersc.org website, her score was peoplewithinformationsotheycanhigher than she would have thought. In makepositivechangesintheirlives,addition,shesharedthatshehastwo theirfamilies,andtheircommunities.uncles who have diabetes.So Carolyn said she began paying attention to their Its Personal Carolyn Sawyers company completed a four- diet and staying away from foods with CarolynSawyer,founder,andCEOpart documentary, narrated by Kimberlyhigh sugar and salt content.She also Aiken Cockerham, on diabetes prevention and oftheTomSawyerCompany(TSC)management. enlisted the help of a nutritionist who explainedthatshewasinformedbyassists her with planning healthy meals.DHECthattheywerelookingforindividualswithin the state who would be able to deliver a message aboutTrusted Resources MatterhealthylivingandhavethatmessageresonatewithJudi Gatson, an anchor for WIS News in Columbia SC, audiencesaroundthestate.SincesheisajournalistsaidwhenDHECcontactedheraboutjoiningtheir by training, has been in the business of messaging forFacesofHealthcampaign,shewasallin.DHEC the last 40 years, has worked in television for 20 years,islookingforawaytoconnectwiththecommunity, andheadedamarketingandcommunicationsfirmnotonlytoheartrustedvoicesbuttoalsobeableto forthelast25years,Carolynfeltthatshewaswell- relatetopeoplegoingthroughthesameexperiences, positionedtojointhiseffort.Shesaidthatworkingsheexplained.Judibelievesthatthiscampaignwill inthehealthspaceandbringingattentiontohealthmake people more willing to invest in their health and disparitiesandinequitieshavebeenthecenterpieceofwellness.I am honored to be a part of the program herwork.AccordingtoCarolyn,thoseinthehealthandusemyvoicetohelpelevatetheconversation, spaceunderstandthathealthdisparitiesinvolvenoteducateandempowerourcommunity;becausewhat justthephysicalyou,buttheenvironmentyoulivedoresourcesmatterifyoudonthaveaccesstothem, inaswellwhereyoulive,accesstohealthyfoodinshesaid.Andshequestioned,whatdoresources your neighborhood, access to transportation, and othermatterifyouarenttrustingtheinformationyouare 18IMARA"