Our Website

Lowcountry Diabetes Initiatives

Our Staff

Valerie Muehleman, MS, RD, CDE
• Freed-Hardeman University, BS – Mathematics and Natural Sciences
• Murray State University, MS – Home Economics
• Applied Professional Practice Practicum – Tulane University School of Public
Health & Tropical Medicine
• Registered Dietitian – October 1995
• Certified Diabetes Educator – Oct 1999 & May 2003
• Certified Grants Specialist – June 2004
• Employed since November 1, 1999
• Nutrition Director

Melissa O’Quinn, Nutritionist
• Undergraduate in Nutrition -Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Campinas –Sao Paulo Brazil
• Internship Enteral e Parenteral Nutrition GANEP- Grupo de Apoio em Nutricao Enteral e Parenteral
• Tri lingual: Portuguese, English and Spanish
• Worked for Abbott Laboratory of Brazil
• Nutritionist at BJHCHS since 2002

Terrie Williams, Community Liaison
• Assists churches in finding resources and planning health events
• PECS System data clerk.
• Employed August 19, 2002

Outreach Programs

Lowcountry Diabetes Initiative Receives Grant for Health Ministries and Exercise Programs

The Lowcountry Diabetes Initiative (LDI) was formed October 2000 by a REACH 2010 planning grant. The coalition has over 26 partners and includes Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, and Allendale Counties. Meetings are quarterly with Beaufort Jasper Diabetes Coalition. In 2002, LDI received funding from SC DCP Mini-grant, Beaufort Jasper EOC, Johnston Heart and Caring Fund totaling $12,000; 2003 and 2004 received $7,000 SCDCP mini-grant. The programs provided healthy cooking demonstrations with blood pressure checks every six months in selected churches. Three of four churches improved their mean blood pressure in six months for grant year 2003 and 2004.

The new grant for $13,800 from the South Carolina Diabetes Control Program will focus on building health ministries and implementing exercise programs for 5 churches of 14 churches where Blood Pressures were checked in the past three years.

Goal: To decrease disparity from diabetes and hypertension in the Lowcountry.

Objectives:

• Provide training for representatives from each congregation on how to implement a health ministry and local churches already involved will be available to assist in the training

• Purchase exercise videos from AHEC to facilitate a 6-month exercise programs encouraging 3 times a week and provide an exercise bike for each church

• Monitor blood pressure every six months

• Provide MD speaker on Diabetes and Hypertension to each church

Susan G. Komen

The goal of the program is to provide community outreach education and direct subsidy of mammograms for women aged 35-64 who live at or below 200% poverty and have no insurance. This grant provided 258 clinical breast exams and 185 screening mammograms for patients who met the above criteria. Patients were recruited in the 8 clinics, through 18 outreach activities, and through a health fair hosted by BJHCHS. Zonta and Alpa Kappa Alpha assisted and advertised for the health fair. The migrant camps were visited by the outreach worker and patients were brought to the clinic for clinical breast exams and screening mammograms.

The 2005 – 2006 year, we have received a grant from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for $20,000 for 200 mammogram screenings only. We are planning a health fair targeting women in September coordinated by a Physician Assistant student. Zonta and AKA will also be involved. The migrant clinics will be visited this June. Breast exams and transportation will be provided in-kind to the migrant population. Additional funding will be sought for clinical breast exams and mammograms. We are doing very well presently and will probably exhaust funds by January 2006 needing additional funding.

*Also, please correct the following telephone numbers:
(Under locations)

Sheldon Medical Center
(843) 846-8026
(843) 846-8148

Ridgeland Medical Center
(843) 726-3979