Hospital to offer diabetes education

Seven percent of the population of the United States -- 20.8 million adults and children -- have diabetes. It is important to be educated about diabetes to avoid the consequences of the disease.

Diabetes Boot Camp is offered to help train, educate and support those with diabetes, or those caring for a diabetic loved one.

The next Diabetes Boot Camp will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. today at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington.

If diabetes is not controlled, it will damage the kidneys and cause them to fail -- failing kidneys lose their ability to filter out waste products, resulting in kidney disease. Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure, accounting for nearly 45 percent of new cases. Being educated about diabetes is the first step in prevention.

There is no cure available for diabetes, but the disease and its affects can be controlled.

To register for the Diabetes Boot Camp, call Health Advisor at (800) 3ADVOCATE (323-8622) and indicate Code 3D03.