The Reporter: December 1997, Vol.8, No.5
The Making of the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center

Teddy bears and trolls donated by Russ Berrie to help promote the new Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center.

The New York area's most comprehensive diabetes center won't move into its permanent headquarters in the Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion until summer 1998, but that hasn't kept the center from forging ahead with its goal of bringing multidisciplinary treatment and research to people with diabetes. The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center has already begun activities to increase awareness of the disease that affects 16 million Americans; 10 percent of the nation's diabetic population lives in the tri-state area. In addition, patients with diabetes are receiving state-of-the-art care from the diabetes team in temporary space in Harkness Pavilion.

Dr. Robin Goland hands a Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center T-shirt to a JDF Walk to Cure Diabetes participant.

On a brisk Sunday morning in late September, members of the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center's staff and friends teamed up for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation's Walk to Cure Diabetes, held in lower Manhattan. Dr. Robin Goland, director of the center, and her team donned center T-shirts and Columbia caps and walked the 7.2 mile route from Battery Park across the Brooklyn Bridge to raise money and awareness for diabetes research. Dr. Herbert Pardes, vice president and dean, was acknowledged during the warm-up ceremony also attended by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and JDF spokesperson Mary Tyler Moore.

In November, American Diabetes Month, the center held a screening of the movie "Soul Food," followed by a panel discussion on diabetes treatment and management. (A key character in the film suffers from the complications of diabetes.) Dr. Goland led the panel discussion, which included other physicians, diabetes researchers, a nutritionist, a diabetes nurse educator, and people living with diabetes. People with diabetes and their friends and families were invited and a turnout of approximately 400 people gave the center a great opportunity to share information on the disease as well as highlight its services.

Next year, when the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center moves into its new quarters, a grand opening celebration will make the opening official. In the meantime, further outreach programs and events are planned. More information about diabetes or the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, can be requested by calling Joe Solowiejczyk, diabetes nurse educator, at 305-3788 (ext. 73788).