Press Releases
Sep 12, 2011: YMCA Free Glucose Screenings
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 12, 2011
The Y to offer free blood glucose and body composition screenings to curb new diagnoses of type 2 diabetes on the First Coast
As you may already know, 1 in 3 people in America are at high risk for type 2 diabetes. That’s more than 57 million people, according to the CDC. Diabetes is the gateway to heart disease, nerve disease, kidney disease, stroke, blindness, and the list goes on and on. Because diabetes is a silent and progressive disease, however, 50% of those at high risk don’t even realize it. If they did, they could do something about it. Type 2 diabetes is preventable if you make a change before it’s too late, but there’s no turning back once you receive a diagnosis.
The YMCA is doing everything possible to raise awareness for the startling reality of our country’s diabetes epidemic. Locally, the Y has planned a week of free screenings (September 19-22) open to everyone in the community to learn their risk. The quick and private screenings will include a height and weight measure, calculation of body mass index (BMI), and blood glucose, all in the relaxed and comfortable atmospheres of neighborhood YMCAs. If someone finds out he/she is at high risk, the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program has been proven to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by nearly 60%. The YMCA’s trained lifestyle coaches, nutritionists and health educators along with their partners at ADA will be on hand to educate anyone interested in learning more about making a healthy change.
The schedule for the screenings by neighborhood is listed below. All screening times will be from 8:00am to 10:00am and again from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.
| Monday, 9/19 | Yates Family YMCA | Riverside |
| Barco-Newton Family YMCA | Fleming Island | |
| Flagler Center Family YMCA | Bartram Park area | |
| Tuesday, 9/20 | Johnson Family YMCA | Northwest Jacksonville |
| Williams Family YMCA | Mandarin | |
| Dye Clay Family YMCA | Orange Park | |
| Wednesday, 9/21 | Winston Family YMCA | Ponte Vedra |
| Brooks Family YMCA | Southside (Deerwood Park) | |
| Arlington Family YMCA | Arlington (Merrill Road) | |
| Thursday, 9/22 | McArthur Family YMCA | Fernandina |
| St. Augustine Family YMCA | St. Augustine | |
| Baker County Family YMCA | Macclenny |
For more information on the free screening opportunities or to learn more about the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast or the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, visit http://FirstCoastYMCA.org.
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CONTACT
Nikos Westmoreland, Vice President of Communications
nwestmoreland@FirstCoastYMCA.org
904.265.1773
