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Welcome!

This website grew out of a university-to-community partnership between students and faculty at James Madison University and Sentara RMH Medical Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Students enrolled in a Scientific & Medical Communication course at JMU worked with a Certified Diabetes Educator, two JMU faculty members, and individuals in the Harrisonburg community to complete a series of projects that rhetorically explored type 1 and type 2 diabetes in the Shenandoah Valley. This website is a product of those semester-long collaborations.

What You Will Find 

As you browse this site, you will see an array of artifacts and resources related to diabetes. We have created and curated these materials specifically for people living in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. For example, under the “Stories” page, you can read about four individuals in the Valley who shared with us their personal experiences with type 2 diabetes. We hope you find their stories as informative and inspiring as we did.

 

Other pages of our site are dedicated to sharing information and resources on type 1 and type 2 diabetes. We have been careful to distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes because these conditions arise from unique circumstances and typically require different self-management approaches. You will also find resources such as a diabetes cheat sheet, informational posters, and social media resources, along with a report on type 1 and type 2 diabetes at both the national and state level. We hope you find these materials useful, whether you are learning about diabetes for the first time or hoping to improve your own self-management style.

Type One

Type One Diabetes

While Type 1 diabetes is in the minority (affecting ~5% of those with diabetes), it is equally important and can affect all demographics. Type 1 diabetes is distinguishable in that it entirely prevents the body from producing insulin. This is problematic for the body because it is the hormone that allows glucose to get into cells.

Management 

Those with type 1 diabetes are reliant on insulin and must take measures to ensure the body's management of blood sugar. Treatment can include:

 

  • Insulin syringes, pens, pumps

  • Blood sugar monitoring 

  • Carbohydrate counting 

  • Healthy diet

  • Exercise 

diabetes 1.png
Services

Type Two Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Diabetes is a problem with your body that causes blood glucose levels to rise higher than normal. This is also called hyperglycemia.

If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance. At first, your pancreas makes extra insulin to make up for it. But over time, it isn't able to keep up and can't make enough insulin to keep your blood glucose at normal levels. Some individuals can live with type 2 diabetes for up to 10 years before they are aware they have the condition. 

Management

Management of type 2 diabetes includes:
 

  • Weight loss

  • Healthy eating

  • Regular exercise

  • Medication or insulin therapy

  • Blood sugar monitoring
     

These steps will help keep your blood sugar level closer to normal, which can delay or prevent complications.

 

The infographic to the right describes the signs, symptoms, who is affected, and statistics of type 2 diabetes. 

diabetes.png

Acknowledgments

This project could not have happened without the help and support of our community partners and many others who graciously shared their time, expertise, and wisdom with us. Below are the people who helped us see this project to fruition:

 

  • Julie Pierantoni, RN, MSN, Sentara Medical Center

  • Cynthia Martin, MA, Instructor, JMU

  • Kristin Knapp, Technology & Media Specialist, JMU

  • Michael Knapp, Medical Scribe and Implementation Trainer

  • Jennifer Downs, Blue Ridge Regional Director of Marketing

  • Cathryn Molloy, PhD, WRTC, JMU

  • Traci Zimmerman, PhD, Academic Unit Head, WRTC, JMU

  • Four anonymous interviewees

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