Funds used for diabetes education program

FARGO—The Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) Caring Foundation awarded St. Aloisius Medical Center and the Wells County District Health Unit a $5,000 Rural Health Grant in 2018. The grant was used to help fund their Diabetes Empowerment Education Program (DEEP).

DEEP is a six-week program that meets for two hours, once a week and allows those with diabetes along with a caretaker to learn how to better self-manage their diabetes and maintain appropriate levels of blood glucose, prevent complications and sustain their quality of life. The first class sponsored by this grant was completed in May with 12 participants. Of that class, all the participants rated the class good to excellent and all would recommend the class to a family member or friend. A new class will run from September to October.

"We appreciate the Caring Foundation doing these grants," said Sarah Gregg, RN, BSN, a Diabetes Educator at St. Aloisius Medical Center, "The grant allows us to provide this class free of charge to individuals and their families impacted by diabetes, improving participants' lives."

The BCBSND Caring Foundation Rural Health Provider Partnership Grant Program is a collaborative with the Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the University of North Dakota (UND). The purpose of the grant program is to support local health care providers and their communities by offering funding for projects that champion increased physical activity and promote the health and well-being of rural North Dakotans.

A complete listing past recipients of the grant program are available on the CRH website, https://ruralhealth.und.edu/projects/bcbs-grant-program.