October 21, 2005
Genesis Diabetes Awareness Week Will Feature Blues Legend B.B. King In Concert
Davenport, IA - Genesis will sponsor a week-long effort that will educate Quad Citians about the growing incidence of diabetes and will culminate with a Dec. 16 concert featuring legendary blues guitarist and 10-year diabetes survivor B.B. King.
Genesis Diabetes Awareness Week events will be held Dec. 11-16. Proceeds from the B.B. King concert will benefit the Genesis Diabetes Care Centers.
King has influenced musicians of all ages, and has also inspired an entirely new audience with his dedication to diabetes management.
King, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday with a new recording of blues duets called “80,” has refused to let diabetes slow him down, and as a result, takes his health very seriously. “I don’t eat sweets, no sugar,” he says. “I don’t smoke...I’m also a vegetarian, so I don’t have any real bad problems...But I’m getting older now, so I’m cutting back a bit.” A road warrior for decades, King, has “cut back’’ to about 300 tour dates a year and remains one of the busiest blues artists in the world.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the incidence of diabetes among U.S. adults jumped 41 percent between 1997 and 2003. Not surprised by this stunning statistic, the experts at Genesis Diabetes Care Centers in Davenport and Silvis have responded with a challenge to Quad Citians of all ages: Learn the steps that can lead to a healthier life and prevent diabetes.
“Preventing diabetes doesn’t have to mean an extreme change in lifestyle,” said Marsha Menke, Manager of the Genesis Diabetes Care Center in Davenport. “Simple changes, like moderate walking for exercise, can help you lose 7-10 percent of extra body weight. That alone cuts the risk for diabetes in half.”
Schedule of events for Genesis Diabetes Awareness Week:
(Further information will be available in November)
Dec. 12 – School Walk for Diabetes Kick-Off with Miss Iowa 2005, Kay Pauszek. Miss Iowa, along with the American Diabetes Association, will take the School for Diabetes Walk program into at least 20 elementary and middle schools throughout the Quad Cities. School Walk for Diabetes teaches students about diabetes and the importance of making healthy choices, including eating healthy foods and exercising every day.
Dec. 13 – The Family Challenge: Learning to Manage Diabetes Together. Diabetes doesn’t only affect the individual, it affects the whole family. Come and spend an evening with the professionals at the Genesis Diabetes Care Center, and learn what you can do to manage or possibly prevent diabetes in your family. Activities will include cooking demonstrations; an exercise demonstration with the Quad City Mallards; the Genesis Wellness Center’s F.B.I. (Food and Body Interaction) Challenge for kids; and special guests, Miss Iowa 2005, Kay Pauzsek and Niabi Zoo animals with diabetes.
Dec. 14-15 – Diabetes Screenings.
Dec. 14, 7-10 a.m., Larson Center at Genesis Medical Center, Illini Campus, 855 Illini Drive, Silvis.
Dec. 15, 3-6 p.m., River Music Experience, 129 Main St., Davenport.
Dec. 16 – B. B. King, with special guest The Ellis Kell Band
The Quad Cities is honored to welcome the legendary “King of the Blues” B. B. King and special guest The Ellis Kell Band in a benefit concert for the Genesis Diabetes Care Center, at the RiverCenter, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport. Doors open at 6:00 pm, concert begins at 7:00 pm. Ticket prices are $50/$40 (plus service charges), and go on sale Oct. 24. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.ticketmaster.com/, all TicketMaster outlets, or charge by phone at 563-326-1111.
The Genesis Diabetes Care Center offers an individualized self-management program encompassing the critical areas of diet, medication, exercise, motivation and emotional support. With the help of a multidisciplinary team of professionals, people with diabetes and their support persons learn about the disease, how it affects their body and how they can better manage
day-to-day situations, as well as long-term effects.
For more information about the Genesis Diabetes Care Center, please call 563-421-1061 in Davenport, or 309-792-4389 in Silvis.
