Empowering diabetes workshop targets young women

Nov 05, 2017 News

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By Sharmain Grainger

This year the theme slated to guide the observance of World Diabetes Day on November 14

is: ‘Women and Diabetes – our right to a healthy future’. However, even before the theme was widely publicised, the youth arm of the Guyana Diabetic Association – Young Leaders in Diabetes – was already plotting a plan to empower women inflicted with Type One diabetes.
It was with this in mind that ‘Magenta – Ladies of distinction’, a three-day interactive workshop for young ladies battling diabetes, was conceptualised. The workshop commenced Friday at the Kingston, Georgetown Pegasus Hotel for some 26 young ladies between the ages of 16 and 25. It is slated to culminate this evening.
The outcome anticipated is that the participants would learn not only to cope with diabetes, but also develop the needed skills to help others cope as well.
The workshop was born out of the recognition that a number of young women who have been diagnosed with Type One diabetes and are registered members of the Young Leaders in Diabetes, were in fact avoiding the various interactive sessions that the group would plan.
“We were not getting any of them to come out to our activities. They just weren’t coming out; I started begging them practically to come out,” recalled President of the Young Leaders in Diabetes, Ms. Keziah Nestor.
“One [young lady] messaged me that she doesn’t feel comfortable around people, another said she had her own insecurities, and so I spoke to the secretary of our group and we decided we needed to do something,” Nestor related.
‘Magenta’ quickly came to mind, since according to Nestor, it symbolises universal harmony, love, emotional balance and promotes compassion, kindness and cooperation.
“Magenta has a strong energy and encourages activities focused on achieving personal power and self-realisation…it relates to strong yet controlled emotions and passions, and encourages one to be daring; ready to fight and willing to do everything to achieve a goal, and this is what we stand for,” said a very vocal Nestor on Friday.

Support was sought to bring to fruition ‘Magenta – Ladies of distinction’, an initiative intended to reverse the trend of self-imposed isolation. It wasn’t hard to find the needed support which was forthcoming from the Young Leaders in Diabetes umbrella organisation [the Guyana Diabetic Association], the Chronic Diseases Department of the Ministry of Public Health, the United States-based Organisation for Social and Health Advancement for Guyana [OSHAG] and the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation.
“We decided to do this project where we have all our female Type Ones come together where we can make them feel like somebody…where they can feel comfortable enough in their own skin, so they can in turn help another girl feel comfortable, and in that way we will raise awareness better, once we are united,” Nestor explained.
With the support of young women of various backgrounds including a few from sports, the arts and cosmetics fields, Nestor noted that the intent was to have the Type Ones learn to bond over their experiences and ideas in an environment where they can express themselves freely and fearlessly.
Activities planned for the three-day event not only included health talks on diabetes and other diseases that women have been known to battle over the years, such as cancer and HIV, but interactive craft, music and make-up artistry sessions. But the most exciting of them all was perhaps the enchanted forest-themed dinner night on Saturday which saw each of the young ladies opting to wear an outfit that made them feel like a princess.
“We wanted this to be special for young women…Women have been persecuted both by other women and men,” said Nestor, as she expressed hope that the young women-focused event could become an annual affair.
Since the workshop isn’t designed to have a one-sided outcome, Nestor noted that by the end of this month its ripple effect is expected to be in motion. This will manifest when the participants in term take what they have learnt into their respective communities, with the intent of helping others. Activities in this regard, Nestor said, will be well planned, executed and documented.
Excited about the prospect of sustaining such a venture, Nestor said “we really hope this could be an annual event, even for the men, but for now our focus is on the women and making them feel comfortable.”
Speaking at the opening of the event Friday evening, President of the Guyana Diabetic Association, an elated Ms. Glynis Beaton, told the participants “this is an opportunity of a lifetime.”
In fact she shared her conviction that “it is important that we give young women the opportunity to spread their wings” since, according to her, when it comes to “Women and diabetes, it is never going to be easy. We are unique in our sufferings in diabetes.”
As such, she lauded the fact that through the workshop the young women were slated to gain a better understanding of their bodies and how to better cope with diabetes.
“You will be able to learn how to deal with depression, because one in every 10 persons develops the symptoms of depression,” Beaton highlighted, as she added, “We [women] suffer the most from diabetes; we have to take care of families and ourselves, but we are strong, we are a complement to men.”
Also addressing Friday’s start to the three-day event was Dr. Patrica Woolford, who represented PAHO/WHO. As she recognised the importance of ‘Magenta’ as a leadership and enhancement programme, she noted that PAHO/WHO was pleased to be associated with a venture that will not only encourage young women to learn from each other, but help with the development of best practices that can be used to advance efforts in the various communities to strengthen individuals’ abilities to cope with diabetes.

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