Travelling diabetes program popular in rural Alberta

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The Travelling Diabetes Resource Program, known as TDRP, is unique to Alberta and probably to all of Canada. Begun as a pilot project in 1997 by the Canadian Diabetes Association, Alberta and Northwest Territories Division, the aims of the program are to educate people on how to manage their diabetes and to link them up with local health professionals and diabetes support groups.

TDRP visits rural communities where people may not have access to much diabetes prevention and treatment information. CDA tries to take the program to all reserves and Metis settlements that request their services, since the incidence of diabetes is two to three times greater among Aboriginal people than in the general population. The resources of TDRP usually complement the work of nurses who are familiar with the needs of their communities, but who may have limited time to devote exclusively to diabetes.

Tracey Grey is a registered dietitian from Saskatchewan who took over as TDRP program co-ordinator in February. She works out of CDA's Edmonton office, but two and one-half weeks a month she's on the road in a 1998 van that was donated to her program by the Lions Club. April and May were typical, busy months.

For instance, April 12 to 15, Grey visited the Alberta Metis settlements of Gift Lake, Peavine and East Prairie, all in the Keeweetinok Lakes Regional Health Authority's jurisdiction. Representatives of the Aboriginal Diabetes Wellness Program, administered under the Aboriginal Health Services branch of Capital Health, accompanied Grey, who usually travels solo. Nurse Kathleen Cardinal, program co-ordinator at the Wellness Centre, dietitian Vanessa Nardelli and Elder Madge McCree all participated in the one-day workshops. A separate workshop was put on for the health professionals.

"It was the first time the two associations had worked together, and it was a great success," said Cheryl Brace-Beaudry, a registered nurse from High Prairie who helped co-ordinate the presentations.

"It was great being able to partner up with CDA," Nardelli agreed.