Free Diabetes Testing to Fight for South Siders’ Health

St. Bernard Hospital
Published: July 24, 2013

To tackle the rampant incidence of diabetes in South Side communities, The Clinic at Walmart is offering free diabetes testing, every Tuesday from now thru Labor Day. Faced with an explosion of younger and younger people developing diabetes, with large numbers going undiagnosed, the Clinic is appealing to the community to get tested and take action. Diabetes can have enormous quality of life consequences for families; they face poor health with possible severe complications, as well as expensive life-long medical treatment.

Danny Rollins, a vice president at St. Bernard Hospital (which operates the Clinic at Walmart) decided that the St. Bernard team had to do something to build awareness and educate their neighbors. “We are seeing teens, young and mature adults come in feeling ill and discovering that they suffer from diabetes.” He said. “Early diagnosis is important to stopping or controlling diabetes.” According to the American Diabetes Association nearly 30% of Americans with diabetes are undiagnosed.

Operating on Chicago’s South Side within largely African American and Mexican American communities The Clinic at Walmart is at the heart of an area heavily affected by diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that 12.6% of African Americans and 13.3% of Mexican Americans over the age of 20 are living with diabetes. While people with undiagnosed diabetes are estimated at 7 million nationwide, the prevalence of prediabetes is estimated to be close to 79 million people. “We have got to do everything we can to test and educate people who are prediabetic,” says Mr. Rollins. “We must alert people at risk so that they can make lifestyle changes now. To accomplish that goal we need people to get tested.”

People interested in free diabetes’ test can walk in to the Clinic at Walmart, 8331 S. Stewart Ave., inside the Walmart Superstore, any Tuesday thru Labor Day. Appointments are not required.

St. Bernard Hospital has been serving the health care needs of Chicago’s South Side for nearly 110 years. The hospital sees thousands of area residents each year, providing services ranging from emergency medicine and obstetrics to mental health and dental services. In keeping with modern demands, St. Bernard is proud to provide state-of-the-art technological capabilities that greatly enhance the hospital’s high quality of care and promote patient safety. To expand services to the community, in 2012 St. Bernard opened The Clinic at Walmart. The Clinic offers easy access to affordable health care seven days a week.

Keywords: Diabetes, glucose test, health, health care, healthcare, St. Bernard Hospital