This year marks an impressive milestone for the Diabetes Education Center at
Winthrop-University Hospital – 30 years of service to the community.
Since opening its doors in 1979, the Diabetes Education Center has helped
improve the lives of countless individuals living with diabetes through its highly
regarded educational and support programs. A pioneer in the field of diabetes
education, the Diabetes Education Center was the first outpatient education
program in New York State accredited by the national American Diabetes
Association. Today, the Center continues to equip adults and children with the
knowledge and tools necessary to manage diabetes.
“With one out of every 13 people in the United States living with diabetes and
the trend of childhood and adult obesity on the rise, diabetes has become a major
health concern for millions of Americans each year,” said Virginia Peragallo-Dittko,
RN, BC-ADM, MA, CDE, Director of the Diabetes Education Center at Winthrop.
“Yet because of the special educational and support programs that are available
through Winthrop’s Diabetes Education Center, individuals of all ages can learn
how to manage diabetes and lead healthy, active lives.”
Following are just a few of the highlights from the Diabetes Education
Center’s 30th anniversary year:
Outstanding Achievement in Diabetes Education
In April, the Diabetes Education Center was recognized with the “Outstanding
Achievement in Diabetes Education” Award by the Metropolitan New York
Association of Diabetes Educators in honor of the Center’s 30 years of service
to the community.
Dining Out
With Diabetes
Among the Diabetes Education
Center’s innovative programs is the
Dining Out with Diabetes Program
which teaches strategies for enjoying
restaurant dining without sacrificing
diabetes self-management. Following
an informative presentation by Lynne
Chimon, RD, one of the Center’s
registered dietitians who created the
program, participants have the
opportunity to apply what they’ve
learned by selecting and enjoying a
healthy meal. Thanks to a generous
$5,000 grant from the Roslyn Savings
Foundation, the Diabetes Education
Center has been able to offer educational
programs at local restaurants,
including Uncle Bacala’s in Garden
City Park and Red Lobster in Carle
Place, throughout the year.
Letter to the
Roslyn Savings Foundation
“Thanks to your supportive program,
I recently dined out with a group
from Winthrop-University Hospital.
The education that I received that
night was invaluable.”
— FS, New Rochelle, NY
Special Quilt for
National Display
Members of the Kids Interested in
Diabetes (KIDs) support group offered
through the Diabetes Education
Center at Winthrop recently made a
special quilt representing “My Life
with Diabetes.” The quilt, which illustrates
what living with type 1 diabetes
means to the children through creatively
designed quilt squares, was
created for the Quilt for Life Project.
The project is initiated by Children
with Diabetes – an organization that
promotes understanding of the care
and treatment of diabetes, especially
in children. The KIDs’ work of art was
recently on display at the Children
with Diabetes Annual Friends for Life
Conference in Orlando, Florida. A
photo of the quilt is also posted on the
Children with Diabetes website at
www.childrenwithdiabetes.com.
Tools for the Educator
Certified diabetes educators, registered nurses
and registered dietitians gathered at “Making
Learning Active: Tools for the Educator” – an
interactive educational conference hosted by
Winthrop’s Diabetes Education Center at the
deSeversky Conference Center on May 21,
2009. Feedback from the participants was
outstanding; some even stated it was “the best conference of their career.”
Pictured at the conference (l.-r.) are guest speaker Barbara Schreiner, PhD, RN,
CDE; Virginia Peragallo-Dittko, Director of the Diabetes Education Center; and
G. Morgan Browne, Chairman of the OSI Pharmaceuticals Foundation – one of the
organizations whose support was instrumental in making the conference possible.
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Vol. 19, No. 2
Summer 2009
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