Temple podiatry students, staff and faculty were joined by Mayor Michael Nutter on Saturday to shine a spotlight on the diabetes epidemic in Philadelphia, which has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the country - roughly 3 percent higher than the national average. Above, diabetes educator Carol Otte counsels a patient during one of the event's free screenings.
“This epidemic is not just a health matter,” said Kathya Zinszer, chair of podiatric medicine and orthopedics, and organizer of the event. “It affects our everyday lives by extending into our families, the community, employers and our children, therefore affecting all sections of our Philadelphia community.”
Throughout the day, members of the community were offered free flu vaccines, various health screenings, consultations with medical professionals and several educational workshops on topics such as diabetes and heart disease, exercise and nutrition.
World Diabetes Day is an international campaign started in 1991 and led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to the alarming rise in diabetes around the world. |
