DC Area to Host DiabetesSisters Conference in April

DiabetesSisters will hold its seventh 2014 Weekend for Women Conference at the Embassy Suite Hotel in Old Town Alexandria, VA, just outside Washington, DC, April 25-27.

“This year, we’re recharging our Weekend for Women Conference,” said DiabetesSisters founder and CEO, Brandy Barnes. “We’re expanding the event to include three education tracks, and adding engaging session topics like advocacy and social media. We want the conference to grow and reach new women, but also provide new information for returning attendees-so there’s something for everyone.”

The event, open to all women with diabetes-type 1 or 2-and their partners, will include the following events and features, including an expanded Friday line-up of activities:

Friday:

• Attendee check-in will begin on Friday, April 25, 2014, at 1:30 p.m.

• Optional sessions will be offered from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., with an informal “Meet and Mingle” in the hotel atrium at 5:30 pm.

• DiabetesSisters Social Media Meetup featuring DSMA Live-The popular DSMA Live (Diabetes Social Media Advocacy) weekly blog radio show covers the latest diabetes trends, experts in the diabetes field, and real stories of people with diabetes. DiabetesSisters is expanding this event, which kicked off the 2013 Weekend for Women Conference in San Francisco and featured DSMA Live co-host Cherise Shockley. You can listen to a podcast of the San Francisco event at: www.blogtalkradio.com/diabetessocmed/2013/10/05/orange-wil.

Saturday:

Claudia Graham, who gave two dynamic sessions at the 2013 San Francisco conference (on traveling with diabetes and “becoming CEO of your diabetes”) returns as the keynote speaker for the 2014 Weekend for Women. (See Claudia’s “Women: Take Charge!” article on page 8 of this issue.)

• Optional exercise sessions from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.

• Educational sessions begin at 9 a.m., covering a range of topics, including two described below.

• Celebratory dinner at the end of the day with the keynote speaker, naming of the DiabetesSisters Inspiration Award honoree, and recognition of each woman in the audience.

Two of the Saturday sessions will cover:

Exercise Physiology with Ginger Viera and Natalie Strand-Exercise plays an important role in women’s diabetes treatment plans. But figuring out how to avoid low blood sugars and get the most from workouts-especially on tight schedules-can be tricky. This session will help attendees understand why certain types of exercise will raise or lower their blood sugars, the best time of day to exercise, and other practical tips to get moving and stay motivated.

Diabetes Social Media Bootcamp with Kerri Sparling and Cherise Shockley–Attendees will get a primer on social media and learn how to let their voices be heard as diabetes champions from these two well-known diabetes advocates

Sunday:

• Optional exercise sessions begin at 7 a.m.

• Training session for attendees who want to carry the DiabetesSisters message back to their home towns

• Closing session led by a DiabetesSisters faculty member

Partner’s Perspective Program

DiabetesSisters invites the spouses and partners of women with diabetes to attend the conference, which has educational sessions devoted to their questions and needs. For more information on the Partner’s Perspective Program, see the link below.

Registration Links:

• Weekend for Women Conference: www.diabetessisters.org/2014conferencedc

•Partner’s Perspective Program: www.diabetessisters.org/2014partnersdc