Paul Sisson
North County Times

Bring along a type 3 if you've got one

SAN DIEGO ---- The best weapon against diabetes is information, and there will be plenty on tap at the 15th annual "Taking Control of Your Diabetes" conference and health fair Saturday at the San Diego Convention Center.

Dr. David Edelman, a nationally known diabetes expert and UC San Diego School of Medicine professor who helped create the event, said the conference is a must for patients who want to keep abreast of the latest information, scientific breakthroughs, and medicine to manage the disease. The American Diabetes Association estimates that 23.6 million Americans have diabetes, though only about 17 million have been diagnosed.

Edelman, himself a Type 1 diabetes patient since age 15, said it is not enough to simply rely on one's doctors to provide answers.

"People with diabetes really need to be the most active member of their health care team," he said. "There is no way their physician can keep up with the advances that are happening all around us."

Organized into morning and afternoon sessions, the conference includes talks from leaders in research, demonstrations of nutrition and exercise, opportunities to talk one-on-one with diabetes care experts, and a guest appearance by fitness expert Kim Lyons, who has appeared on the weight-loss reality TV show, "The Biggest Loser."

While most people with diabetes can treat it and live normal lives, the disease kills hundreds of thousands each year. Most diabetes is diagnosed as either Type 1 or Type 2. In both, the body has a problem producing or using insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy. Genetics, obesity and lack of exercise have been linked to the disease, but its cause still remains a mystery.

These days, finding information about diabetes is as simple as typing a single word into an Internet search engine. But doing that, Edelman said, is much less fun and inspiring than attending the conference.

"How often do you google something and get inspired?" he said. "This conference is not just about information. It's about being in the majority. There are going to be more than 2,000 people who are all looking for the same thing, to get informed and get excited."

Laura Bennett, a Type 1 diabetic from Oceanside, said Saturday's conference will be her fourth. Bennett, 31, a mother of three children, said she gets the kind of motivation at the conference that she cannot find anywhere else.

"I think going to this helps me remind myself of what I need to be doing or should be doing," she said. "Plus, when I go I see people that I only get to see once or twice a year, so it's social as well."

This year Bennett said she intends to bring along two "Type 3" diabetics, her husband and mother. Type 3 is an in-joke reference to the family members of diabetics. She said Type 3s can get just as much from the conference as Type 1s or 2s because they are often helping family members or spouses manage blood sugar, diet and stress levels.

"Sometimes they need a little reminder of what's going on as well," Bennett said. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, with the morning session starting at 8:30. A catered lunch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. The afternoon session begins at 1:30 p.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m. Early bird registration (before noon Thursday, noon) is $25; at the event, cost is $30. More information is available at tcoyd.org or by calling (800) 998-2693.

Call staff writer Paul Sisson at 760-901-4087.

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