LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — For people at risk of diabetes, the hardest part of changing your health may be doing it alone. A free year-long program at the Carbondale YMCA is trying to change that. 28/22 News Reporter Colby Hughes explained how people with pre-diabetes or a family history are building better habits together
This year-long program is changing lives by encouraging people to make lifestyle changes to better care for their health and wellness before it becomes a bigger problem, or before it’s too late
For many people, a health and wellness journey is something deeply personal. However, for this group inside the Carbondale YMCA, they’re sharing it all with each other, and it’s all part of the Diabetes Prevention Program
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Jessica Nutt, a member of the program, said, “I have a family history of diabetes, and so, it’s important to me to be there for my kids and my grandkids, to start taking care of my health now.”
The program is for adults within the pre-diabetes range or with a family history of diabetes, and it’s completely free to join, which was made possible by a grant from the American Lung Association
“I think it helps to have accountability and share information among the other participants in the group. I enjoy that you kind of have to answer to each other, and it helps you to make better choices throughout the week so that you can meet your goals,” Nutt added
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“The participants kind of learn off of each other. We celebrate each other, we support each other when we’re not having successes. So, it’s just letting them know that they’re not doing this alone,” Personal trainer and Diabetes Prevention Program coach, Candy Viola, told 28/22 News
For members and coaches, it can be an emotional time sharing goals and making progress
Health coach Mary Wielebinski said, “My mom died from diabetes, so it’s close to my heart. She had lost her leg to diabetes, so I just want people to live an active life.”
Nutt explained, “We take it easy on each other, too, because we’re all human, and it helps to hear, ‘Oh, I messed up a little bit, and here’s what I did to fix it.'”
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Through these bonds and hard work, members make a huge difference in their own lives, and after seeing success here in Carbondale, staff is hoping to expand this program in Forest City to impact even more people
“You can go out and buy new clothes, you can go out and buy new things for your home, but you live in your body your whole life, so it’s really important that you take care of it,” Nutt continued
More information on the program starting up in Forest City can be found online
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