Staff, physicians, patients and their families from Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach wore blue on World Diabetes Day and gathered outside Miller Children’s to create a giant blue human circle, which is the universal symbol for diabetes.
Together, Long Beach Memorial, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and Community Hospital Long Beach diagnose, treat and provide diabetes education to hundreds of patients every year. As a way of raising awareness, and supporting its patients and everyone affected by diabetes in Long Beach, the three hospitals joined forces and hosted two celebrations for World Diabetes Day. Each year on Nov. 14, World Diabetes Day celebrations engage millions of people around the globe.
“Seven million children and adults in the U.S. with diabetes are undiagnosed,” says Mario Brakin, M.D., medical director, Endocrine & Diabetes Center, Miller Children’s. “With this celebration, we’re hoping to draw attention to the impact this disease has on our community and keep the conversation about diabetes going.”
The two celebrations, one held on the Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children’s campus and the other at Community Hospital Long Beach, began with a ½ mile walk to encourage healthy living.
Afterward, staff, physicians, patients and their families, who were all dressed in blue, gathered to create a giant blue human circle, which is the universal symbol for diabetes.
At the Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children’s ceremony, Supporting Kids With Diabetes – a parent and family support group at Miller Children’s – dedicated a tree in honor of families and children affected by diabetes. Representing Supporting Kids With Diabetes was Christian Manriquez, 17, Miller Children’s patient, and his family.
Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 10, Manriquez has learned to not let diabetes control his life. He now helps encourage other children in the community to do the same through his involvement with Supporting Kids With Diabetes.
“Diabetes is often overlooked and we wanted to be able to show our patients and families that not only do our diabetes care teams support them, but that each of our hospitals are behind them,” says Linda Kerr, RN, diabetes program director, Long Beach Memorial.
Above, left: Christian Manriquez, 17, Miller Children’s patient, and his brother Anthony represented Supporting Kids With Diabetes – a parent and family support group at Miller Children’s – who dedicated a tree in honor of families and children affected by diabetes.
Employees from Community Hospital Long Beach sign their messages of support for children and adults affected by diabetes.