Future Health Professionals Step Out to Stop Diabetes
Residents of the Health Professionals Focused Interest Community (FIC) in Bluff Hall participated in the 2016 Step Out: Metro East Walk to Stop Diabetes on Saturday, Sept. 17 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
The fundraising event, coordinated by the American Diabetes Association, helps promote awareness about diabetes, a disease that affects nearly 30 million children and adults.
Sarah Etchison, Bluff Hall resident assistant, organized the event and encouraged her residents to get involved in the cause. Etchison has a personal connection to diabetes, as both her grandma and mom have the disease.
This year 10 residents participated in Step Out, including Sarah Etchison, Noah Watson, Caleb Culbreath, Elizabeth Ellingsworth, Brian Batchleder, Rebecca Lasech, Mackenzie Rodgers, Nicholas Strickler, Garrett Jones and Jayla Jack.
“The best moment was right as we all took off from the starting line,” Etchison said. “The residents with me all seemed to really get into the spirit of the event. Seeing that light in their eyes over community service was by far my favorite part.”
A bake sale was organized in support of the event and held in Bluff Hall by Beau Hammer, Nathan Marz, Matthew Brinkman, Paul Kundrick, Brandon Bishop and Sarah Etchison. Proceeds from the bake sale and donations from family and friends of the walkers totaled nearly $150.
For more information regarding the Health Professionals FIC’s involvement in Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes, contact Bluff Hall Community Director Scott Baietti at (618) 650-0579 or sbaiett@siue.edu.
Photo: Residents from the Health Professionals FIC participated in Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes.