Local Impact - Wisconsin


Wanda McFaggen, St. Croix Tribal Member

St. Croix Healthy Heart Program

I am very grateful to the St. Croix Healthy Heart Program. When I was first diagnosed with diabetes it was pretty emotional to know I had to live with this disease for the rest of my life. Watching my grandson’s worried look and his asking if I was going to die was heartbreaking. I knew I had to get healthy to walk on this earth for a while longer-for myself as well as my grandson. He would ask me, “Gramma if you die, who’s going to teach me?”

Without this program and the educational aspects of life change and diet I could not have done it.

Today I am health conscious. Getting in as much exercise as I can, walking, traditional dancing, getting involved with traditional recreation and watching what I eat has done wonders for me. My sugar levels are within normal range. I don’t need medicine every day and I watch my diet. Diabetes doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I can pretty much eat what I want as long as I eat several times a day and in moderation.

We have cut many things from our home meals such as sugar and salt and we eat a lot of wheat products.

My grandson has learned along with me and that increases his chance of not becoming diabetic later in his life. We have learned together how important it is to be healthy.

The first step after becoming diabetic is the Healthy Heart Program!!

About the St. Croix Healthy Heart Program

Triglycerides average decreased from 194 at baseline to 148 after 5 years as Wisconsin St. Croix Chippewa Healthy Heart participants. Baseline: 38% at goal (of less than 150) to 56% at goal at 5th year annual.

St. Croix Chippewa Healthy Heart Participants lost an average of 8% of body weight after being in the program for 5 years which exceeded the goal of 7%.

100% of Participants in the St. Croix Chippewa Healthy Heart Program for 5 years met and exceeded the LDL goal (of less than 100) with an average of less than 70 mg/dl.

Diabetes in Wisconsin

According to 2008 CDC data, approximately 293,000 people in Wisconsin – 6.5% 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 Wisconsin, the financial burden diabetes places on the health system in the state is staggering – in 2007, the direct and indirect cost of diabetes in Wisconsin was approximately $2.99 billion.

Stories & Progams

Diabetes Program Participants
Tell us more about your journey with Diabetes by filling out this form

Diabetes Care Providers
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Alabama

The Poarch Creek Indian Community
Community Diabetes Support Group

Alaska

Charlotte McConnell
SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) Lifestyle Balance and Diabetes Prevention Program

Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation
Annual Diabetes Walk

Southcentral Foundation Special Diabetes Program for Indians

Arizona

NEW!
Celia Milner
CHR Department, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians

Marlene Valentine -
Navajo Special Diabetes Project

Rudy Clark
Hualapai Healthy Heart Project

California

NEW!
Karen
Case Manager
United American Indian Involvement

NEW!
Jackie Patton
Chapa-De Indian Clinic

Amy Lemmer
Sonoma County Indian Health Project

Alberta Manuel
Sonoma County Indian Health

Connecticut

Mohegan Tribe
Uncasville, CT

Hawaii

Anela Lautalo

Idaho

Christie Lussoro
Nimiipuu Health Diabetes Program

Iowa

Becky Youngbear-Alvarado
Meskwaki Diabetes Prevention Program

Kansas

Stephanie Crawford
Haskell Health Center Diabetes Prevention Program

Louisiana

Jena Band of Choctaw Indians

Maine

Aroostook Band of MicMac

Michigan

Tracy L. Sagataw
Hannahville Indian Community Clinic Diabetes Program

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Rebecca Price
Pokagon Health Services Special Diabetes Program for Indians

Minnesota

Arne Vainio, MD
Fond du Lac Human Services Diabetes Prevention Program

Mississippi

Pastor Thomas Ben
Fond du Lac Human Services Diabetes Prevention Program

Samuel Amos
Fond du Lac Human Services Diabetes Prevention Program

Montana

Faye Filesteel
Fort Belknap Healthy Heart Project

Nebraska

Clarissa Hoffman
Ho-Chunk Hope Diabetes Prevention

New Mexico

NEW!
Judy Reuter
Santa Ana Pueblo
Elsie R. Pino
Ramah Navajo Heart Saver Project
Erlene Sandoval
Navajo Special Diabetes Project

New York

St. Regis Mohawk Tribe
Let’s Get Healthy Program

North Carolina

Ulela Harris
Cherokee Diabetes Program

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Cherokee, NC

North Dakota

Cheryl Donoven
On Eagles Wings Diabetes Prevention Program

Oklahoma

Terry Williams
Black Hawk Health Center

Allen Dale
Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC) Get SET & Fight Diabetes program

Read more about OKCIC (PDF)


Glendine Blanchard
Absentee Shawnee Tribe Healthy Heart Program

Oregon

NEW!
Dylan Jones
NARA Northwest

Taylor David
Klamath Diabetes Prevention Program Cow Creek Consortium

Shirley Heath
Warm Springs Oregon Diabetes Prevention Program

Jennifer Smith
Warm Springs Oregon Diabetes Prevention Program

Larry Smith
Warm Springs Oregon Diabetes Prevention Program

Rhode Island

Mary Lou Stanton
Narangansett Indian Health Clinic-Diabetes Program

South Carolina

Catawba Indian Nation
Special Diabetes Program for Indians

South Dakota

Pete Fills the Pipe
Pine Ridge IHS Diabetes Prevention Program

Utah

Reggie Martinez
Uintah & Ouray IHS Clinic - Healthy Heart Project

Washington

NEW!
Christina Hicks
SDPI-Community Direct Diabetes Grant
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation

Buddy and Les Hoptowit (Brothers)
Yakama Indian Health Center Healthy Heart Project

Wisconsin

Marion Reynolds
St. Croix Healthy Heart Program

Wanda McFaggen
St. Croix Healthy Heart Program

Wendell Waukau
Menominee Diabetes Program

Wyoming

Regina Whiteplume
Eastern Shoshone Diabetes Program