The following article is reprinted with permission of the Dallas Morning News.

Expo Coordinator Puts Passion Into Diabetes Education

Thursday, March 3, 2005

By KATHY A. GOOLSBY / The Dallas Morning News

No job is too small for Dana McCormick.

And that's good, because her volunteer work as chairwoman of Saturday's Diabetes Expo at the Dallas Convention Center required the Grapevine resident to work through a long list of small tasks.

Ms. McCormick has spent 11 months coordinating all the expo committees, making phone calls, raising funds and doing whatever was needed to make the event successful.

"She's very knowledgeable with a number of contacts in the health care industry, so having her on the expo committee has made a huge difference," said Tracy Davis, expo manager. "And she's been a real trooper. I can call her and say we're low on funds for the meeting, and she'll say don't worry about it, and she'll bring lunch for everyone."

This is the first time the American Diabetes Association has brought the expo to Dallas. The one-day event will feature health screenings, lectures, cooking demonstrations and youth exhibits and activities.

The emphasis on increasing awareness about diabetes and its long-term complications is strongly supported by Ms. McCormick, a pharmacist who works on the managed care team of Sanofi Aventis, a pharmaceutical company based in New Jersey.

"People don't necessarily die of diabetes, they die of the complications, and there's a link between cardiovascular disease and diabetes," said Ms. McCormick, 35. "It may be 10 years before you have clogged arteries or kidney disease, but once you have them, it's too late to reverse the problem."

Ms. McCormick's passion for diabetes education stems from family members with the disease. With 18 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes, few people are untouched by the disease.

"Everybody has family members or friends or co-workers who have diabetes," she said.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy.

Nationwide, the percentage of adults who report they have been diagnosed with the disease has risen from 4.5 percent in 1993 to 6.7 percent in 2002.

That number is even higher in Texas, with an increase from 5.2 to 7 percent in the same 10-year period. The increasing number of Hispanics in Texas probably accounts for the higher state numbers, said Donna Jones, an information specialist with the Texas Department of State Health Services.

"That group is at a higher risk for diabetes," she said. "Obesity is also higher in Texas, and that's another risk factor for diabetes."

Ms. Jones said it's unclear why Hispanics, blacks and Asians are at greater risk for diabetes than Caucasians.

Ms. McCormick's eagerness to help with the expo was obvious at the first organizational meeting. Ms. Davis asked participants to recruit two volunteers by the time they met.

"Dana came and said, 'I have my two volunteers,' and no one else did," Ms. Davis said. "Then she rolled up her sleeves and said, 'Where do we need to start? How do we get this done?' "

Ms. McCormick also has raised more than $30,000 for the event, including $15,000 from her employer. Before working on the expo committee, Ms. McCormick helped organize patient education programs throughout North Texas for the American Diabetes Association.

"The thing about diabetes is there is no cure for it, but the complications can be prevented," she said. "There are so many lifestyle changes and medications to help control diabetes, but part of the challenge is making patients understand that."

In addition to her job and diabetes work, Ms. McCormick also makes time for her husband, Jon, and 6-year-old son, Travis. Working from her home office makes it easier to connect with her family and still dedicate time to diabetes education.

"You make time for what you think is important, and I feel very strongly about making people aware of diabetes," she said. "I really enjoy feeling like I'm helping people find solutions, whether it's neighbors or customers or friends. I think everyone wants to feel like they're helping."