Local Impact - Wyoming

Regina Whiteplume, Eastern Shoshone

Eastern Shoshone Diabetes Program

"When I asked for help, the Diabetes Program was there. They gave me the support I needed to take control of my diabetes."
- Regina Whiteplume

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1984. My father, my grandmother and my older brother all passed away from complications of diabetes. A few years ago when my blood sugars were out of control, I became concerned but I really didn’t know what to do bring them down. After hearing about the Diabetes Program I decided to call them and ask for help so I could try learn more about diabetes and what I could do to motivate myself to get control.

In 2009 I started going to the diabetes education classes with my oldest son who had recently been diagnosed with diabetes. Over the years I had heard some basic things about the disease but it couldn’t compare with the diabetes education I received in the program. The educators are very knowledgeable and know how to work with people to get the messages across and I didn’t miss a single class. Now I understand more about how diabetes affects my health. I’ve been able to make many healthy changes in the amounts and kinds of foods I eat and I exercise more. The small, slow changes I have made over time are working for me. I have lost almost 30 pounds and I can walk longer distances. I am now more in control of my blood sugars and lately, I’ve noticed that I feel stronger, have a lot more energy and find myself moving more. I think there are many people in our community that really don’t know what they can do to control their diabetes and be healthier. I want everyone to know what I learned from the diabetes Program - that it’s never too late to start taking care of yourself and learning what you can do to get control of diabetes and avoid dialysis and amputations.

Diabetes in Wyoming

According to 2008 CDC data, approximately 29,000 people in Wyoming – 6.8% of the state’s population – had diagnosed diabetes, and many of them suffer from serious diabetes related complications or conditions. In addition to the human toll diabetes places on people in Wyoming, the financial burden diabetes places on the health system in the state is staggering – in 2007, the direct and indirect cost of diabetes in Wyoming was approximately $258 million.