People living with diabetes can learn more about controlling their disease by participating in a 24-hour online chat-a-thon with health care experts who specialize in diabetes care. The chat-a-thon will begin at 6 a.m. EST April 26th and last until 6 a.m. EST April 27th on DiabetesWATCH.com http://www.DiabetesWATCH.com, a new Web site devoted to diabetes education.
Diabetes must be managed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the chat-a-thon is designed to help people learn to control their disease. During the chat-a-thon, individuals with diabetes and interested caregivers can interact in "real time" with certified diabetes educators (CDEs), health care professionals from the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) who develop day-to-day health management strategies to aid people in achieving and maintaining control of diabetes.
Participants can ask educators about a variety of topics, including how a chronic disease can impact their lives, why successful glucose control results in better overall health, why it is important to recognize symptoms, and what kind of physician to see. Questions and educators' respective answers can be viewed during the event's uninterrupted 24 hours, and transcripts of highlights will be posted on the site afterward. While CDEs will moderate specific chats, the event also includes open sessions.
"A live 24-hour chat-a-thon - where people can discuss their issues and receive immediate answers - is a wonderful way to reach people who have no access to our services," said Ginger Kanzer-Lewis, RNC, EdM, CDE, and president of the AADE. "The American Association of Diabetes Educators is pleased to be a part of this exciting event, and our members are delighted to help provide current information and education through a new venue."
The continuous 24-hour chat-a-thon is believed to be the first of its kind in scope and duration. The chat-a-thon officially launches DiabetesWATCH.com, a Web site that provides users with instant access to multiple tools which may assist in controlling their diabetes. It offers a 24-hour support system in which people with diabetes can privately share tips and personal stories through chat rooms and discussion groups. People also can browse recent health news from leading medical journals, schedule doctor visits, track medication, count carbohydrates, and receive disease and lifestyle advice from an online clinical diabetes educator while on the site. "The more self-management education we can give to people with this chronic disease, which has been branded an epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control, the better the public may be able to prevent its devastating complications and improve the quality of their lives," said Kanzer-Lewis.
Aventis Pharmaceuticals and the American Association of Diabetes Educators are coordinating the chat-a-thon. Aventis Pharmaceuticals created DiabetesWATCH.com to promote awareness and understanding of diabetes and to help those with the disease live healthier lives.
Aventis Pharmaceuticals conducts the U.S. business of Aventis Pharma AG. With headquarters in Bridgewater, N.J., Aventis Pharmaceuticals focuses its activities on important therapeutic areas such as cardiology, oncology, anti-infectives, arthritis, allergy and respiratory, diabetes, and the central nervous system.
Aventis Pharma AG is the pharmaceutical company of Aventis S.A. (NYSE:AVE). Aventis Pharma is dedicated to treating and preventing human disease through the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of innovative pharmaceutical products aimed at fulfilling unmet medical needs. The corporate headquarters of Aventis Pharma is in Frankfurt, Germany. Aventis Pharma is comprised of Aventis Pasteur, a world leader in vaccines, headquartered in Lyon, France, and Aventis Behring, a world leader in therapeutic proteins, headquartered in King of Prussia, P.A.
Aventis S.A., a world leader in pharmaceuticals and agriculture, is headquartered in Strasbourg, France. The company employs approximately 95,000 people in more than 120 countries. Aventis was launched in December 1999 through the merger of Hoechst AG and Rhone-Poulenc S.A.
The AADE is a non-profit organization that focuses on education and communication to diabetes audiences. It represents more than 10,000 health professionals who are dedicated to advancing the role of the diabetes educator and improving the quality of diabetes education and care. Upon completion of AADE requirements, nurses, dieticians, pharmacists, exercise specialists, doctors, and social workers who specialize in diabetes care become CDEs. CDEs work in a variety of settings to teach patients how to better manage diabetes, including how to achieve and maintain 24-hour control of the disease.
