DiabetesSisters’ National Conference Set for May 18-20 in Raleigh, NC

RALEIGH, NC- DiabetesSisters is pleased to announce that registration for the 2012 Weekend for Women Conference opened on January 1, 2012, at 8 AM. The conference, a revolutionary weekend designed specifically for women with diabetes, will take place Friday, May 18, through Sunday, May 20, 2012, at the Marriott City Center in downtown Raleigh.

The Weekend for Women Conference is open to all women with all types of diabetes, age 18 and older. Participants will attend educational sessions on gender-specific topics related to diabetes treatment and management, engage with other women living successfully with diabetes, receive unbiased information on new equipment and medications, and learn new tactics for improving their mental and physical health.

The 2012 Keynote Speaker/DiabetesSisters Inspiration Award Winner is Natalie Strand, MD, winner of the CBS television show “The Amazing Race” in 2010. Natalie and her friend Kat traveled over 32,000 miles to become the first female team to win the nationally televised competition. Natalie was also the first person with diabetes to win the competition.

Past attendees are very enthusiastic about the upcoming conference. “I have been looking forward to this conference all year!” said Markee Flint, who attended in 2011. “Although it will be my third year attending, the topics are always fresh and the speakers are always motivating. Most importantly, being surrounded by women with diabetes who understand my fears, concerns, and questions is positively amazing!”

The Partner’s Perspective Program, a new initiative for the spouses, partners, and significant others of women attendees, will launch at the 2012 conference. Partners will attend support and education sessions, socialize with other partners, discuss the daily challenges of living with diabetes, and relate best practices for emotional support of their partners. Chris Barnes, program manager, said, “Because they play such an integral role in women’s lives, it only makes sense to provide support and education to the partners and spouses if we really want to have an impact on women’s overall health and well-being.”

The Conference Exhibit Hall will be open from 8 AM through 5 PM on Saturday, May 19, and will include exhibitors from local and national diabetes and women’s organizations.

On Sunday, May 20, 2012, at 8 AM, the 2nd Annual orange:will Diabetes Awareness Walk will take place in downtown Raleigh in conjunction with National Women’s Health Awareness Month. The walk not only raises awareness about the unique issues faced by women with diabetes and the “will power” required to manage them, but also raises funds for more programming and research to support women with diabetes. Walk registration is free and open to the entire community.

Registration for the Weekend for Women Conference is offered at a subsidized rate of $100 and includes attendance at the networking event on Friday, all meals and snacks on Saturday (including the Dinner Program and Recognition), breakfast on Sunday, attendance at all eight education sessions, and many other giveaway items. The cost of the Partners Perspective Program is $25 and covers attendance at all Partner’s Perspective sessions and at a portion of the Dinner and Dance Program on Saturday night.

Conference registration must be made online at www.diabetessisters.org. Hotel rooms can be reserved at the discounted group rate of $103 per night at Marriott City Center by calling 1-888-236-2427. Please note that conference attendance is limited to the first 100 registrants. The number of hotel rooms available at the discounted rate is limited, so early registration is strongly advised.

Sponsors of the 2012 Weekend for Women Conference include Sanofi, Roche, Novo Nordisk, Amylin, Omnipod, Medtronic, Zevia, ABC 11, Kerr Health, and the North Carolina Diabetes Advisory Council. For information about sponsoring or exhibiting at the conference, please contact Brandy Barnes at [email protected].

About DiabetesSisters

DiabetesSisters is a national 501c3 nonprofit health organization whose mission is to improve the health and quality of life of women with or at risk of developing diabetes and to advocate on their behalf. The organization’s key initiatives include the orange:will campaign, the SisterMatch Program, sisterTALK Blogs, the Women’s Forum, the Ask the Experts Column, Local Meetups, and the Annual Weekend for Women Conference. For more information, please visit http://www.diabetessisters.org.

 

 

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