Elizabethtown, NY – Living with diabetes can come with challenges, but support is available close to home. Community members are invited to attend University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital’s next Diabetes Support Group meeting.

The event will be held Wednesday, September 30 at 4:30 pm in the hospital board room. The group is open to anyone living with diabetes, as well as family members, caregivers and others who want to learn more about managing the condition.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences and learn practical tips for living well with diabetes. Topics may include healthy eating, blood sugar goals, diabetes self-care and strategies for managing everyday challenges.

According to Denise McLaughlin, RN, BSN, CDCES from the hospital’s Diabetes Education Program, one of the greatest benefits of the group is the chance to connect with others who understand what it's like to live with diabetes.

"There is real value in talking with people who are facing many of the same challenges," McLaughlin says. "Support, encouragement and shared experiences can make a meaningful difference. The group provides a welcoming place where people can learn from one another and be reminded that they are not alone in their journey."

The Diabetes Support Group is free and open to the public. Whether people have recently been diagnosed with diabetes or have been managing the condition for years, everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information, contact Denise McLaughlin at 518-873-9005.

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About Elizabethtown Community Hospital

University of Vermont Health – Elizabethtown Community Hospital is a not-for-profit critical access hospital with locations in Elizabethtown and Ticonderoga and six community-based primary care centers serving Essex County and the Adirondack Park region. As part of a rural academic health system serving Vermont and northern New York, we provide essential emergency, inpatient, rehabilitation and specialty care close to home. Together, we deliver access to leading-edge technology, advanced treatment options and the highest level of compassionate care while addressing the critical needs and unique challenges facing our patients, their families and our employees.

About University of Vermont Health Network

University of Vermont Health Network is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org.