Local Impact - California


Alberta Manuel -Round Valley Indian Tribes
Sonoma County Indian Health

I have been living with diabetes for 35 years. I am thankful for the support from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) staff who educated me on how to control my diabetes. The Sonoma County Indian Health, in Santa Rosa, Ca, have been and continue to be my diabetes support team. I have attended classes; diabetic awareness, foot inspection training, diet management, food group understanding, exercise "walking", insulation injection training and eye care.

I was motivated to join the program by my fear of the consequences for not taking "individual management" of my disease. I started feeling the early stage effects of this disease, such has numbness in my feet, sugar lows followed by confusion. I saw my friends undergo limb amputation, first a toe, then a foot, then the legs. I saw the burden it took on the family members, who were their care takers, not only physically, but mentally also.

I really like that there are Native staff members performing some of the diabetes care training programs. They know our foods and how much we enjoy them, so when they are training they honor our culture by recognizing our struggles in changing these eating behaviors, then they remind us of our foods that we ate as "our culture" and how healthy our people were – it just makes sense.

I completely cleaned out my cupboards of snacks and bad foods, after attending some of the SDPI classes. I must confess, I fell back during the holidays, however, most of the goodies I made, I gave away. I have also developed my own workout schedule. I walk a mile every other day, do workout exercises indoors, and swim once a week. I do that for my diabetic control. I also participated in the Alzhiemers walk. I formed a team, and I did it a mile, next year I will do the three mile route! The team members at Sonoma County Indian Health, my traditional healer and the diabetic program team provided spiritual and positive support to me, which helped me attain my goals.

I would like to see even more Native American staff. I would also advocate for a cooking program for diabetics. Our current program focuses on prevention. I know there are plenty of Native diabetics who would attend a program that offered cooking classes for those with diabetes. I have asked for this, however, I am told the funding does not allow for this. Also, I think our food distribution program, needs to listen to their Elders, and provide foods consistent with our diabetic food needs. Frozen foods like vegetables and boxed meals, are not what our people should be eating. We need fresh veggies, or canned is preferred.

Thank you for asking our inputs regarding the SDPI. I hope it continues, our people of all ages need this program!



Stories & Progams

Diabetes Program Participants
Tell us more about your journey with Diabetes by filling out this form

Diabetes Care Providers
Share how SDPI funding has changed your community by filling out this form

Alabama

The Poarch Creek Indian Community
Community Diabetes Support Group

Alaska

Charlotte McConnell
SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) Lifestyle Balance and Diabetes Prevention Program

Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation
Annual Diabetes Walk

Southcentral Foundation Special Diabetes Program for Indians

Arizona

NEW!
Celia Milner
CHR Department, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians

Marlene Valentine -
Navajo Special Diabetes Project

Rudy Clark
Hualapai Healthy Heart Project

California

NEW!
Karen
Case Manager
United American Indian Involvement

NEW!
Jackie Patton
Chapa-De Indian Clinic

Amy Lemmer
Sonoma County Indian Health Project

Alberta Manuel
Sonoma County Indian Health

Connecticut

Mohegan Tribe
Uncasville, CT

Hawaii

Anela Lautalo

Idaho

Christie Lussoro
Nimiipuu Health Diabetes Program

Iowa

Becky Youngbear-Alvarado
Meskwaki Diabetes Prevention Program

Kansas

Stephanie Crawford
Haskell Health Center Diabetes Prevention Program

Louisiana

Jena Band of Choctaw Indians

Maine

Aroostook Band of MicMac

Michigan

Tracy L. Sagataw
Hannahville Indian Community Clinic Diabetes Program

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Rebecca Price
Pokagon Health Services Special Diabetes Program for Indians

Minnesota

Arne Vainio, MD
Fond du Lac Human Services Diabetes Prevention Program

Mississippi

Pastor Thomas Ben
Fond du Lac Human Services Diabetes Prevention Program

Samuel Amos
Fond du Lac Human Services Diabetes Prevention Program

Montana

Faye Filesteel
Fort Belknap Healthy Heart Project

Nebraska

Clarissa Hoffman
Ho-Chunk Hope Diabetes Prevention

New Mexico

NEW!
Judy Reuter
Santa Ana Pueblo
Elsie R. Pino
Ramah Navajo Heart Saver Project
Erlene Sandoval
Navajo Special Diabetes Project

New York

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe
Let’s Get Healthy Program

North Carolina

Ulela Harris
Cherokee Diabetes Program

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Cherokee, NC

North Dakota

Cheryl Donoven
On Eagles Wings Diabetes Prevention Program

Oklahoma

Terry Williams
Black Hawk Health Center

Allen Dale
Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC) Get SET & Fight Diabetes program

Read more about OKCIC (PDF)


Glendine Blanchard
Absentee Shawnee Tribe Healthy Heart Program

Oregon

NEW!
Dylan Jones
NARA Northwest

Taylor David
Klamath Diabetes Prevention Program Cow Creek Consortium

Shirley Heath
Warm Springs Oregon Diabetes Prevention Program

Jennifer Smith
Warm Springs Oregon Diabetes Prevention Program

Larry Smith
Warm Springs Oregon Diabetes Prevention Program

Rhode Island

Mary Lou Stanton
Narangansett Indian Health Clinic-Diabetes Program

South Carolina

Catawba Indian Nation
Special Diabetes Program for Indians

South Dakota

Pete Fills the Pipe
Pine Ridge IHS Diabetes Prevention Program

Utah

Reggie Martinez
Uintah & Ouray IHS Clinic - Healthy Heart Project

Washington

NEW!
Christina Hicks
SDPI-Community Direct Diabetes Grant
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation

Buddy and Les Hoptowit (Brothers)
Yakama Indian Health Center Healthy Heart Project

Wisconsin

Marion Reynolds
St. Croix Healthy Heart Program

Wanda McFaggen
St. Croix Healthy Heart Program

Wendell Waukau
Menominee Diabetes Program

Wyoming

Regina Whiteplume
Eastern Shoshone Diabetes Program