Beating disease early

By Monique Ebrington
RESIDENTS in the Shire of Yarra Ranges will benefit from the launch, last Friday 19 March, of the Early Intervention in Chronic Disease Initiative (EIiCD).
The program is the result of a collaborative partnership between Ranges Community Health and Yarra Valley Community Health and can be accessed from Yarra Junction, Healesville, Lilydale and Belgrave health facilities.
Ranges Community Health CEO Karyn McPeake said the program had been designed to support residents who may be at risk of developing often preventable chronic diseases such as type two diabetes, coronary heart disease or asthma.
The program will initially target residents at risk of developing type two diabetes, and can also be utilised by residents who have been newly diagnosed with the disease.
Yarra Ranges resident Pauline Bunker is one of one of the first clients of the program and said that she joined after being diagnosed with type two diabetes last December.
She said that being part of the program meant that she could utilise a range of services and set goals after being paired with her ‘key worker’ Anne Netherway at the start of the 12-month program.
“I came away feeling like I had just enlisted a wonderful ally in my quest to manage my diabetes,” Mrs Bunker said at the launch.
“Anne was positive yet realistic, but best of all she would be there as my mentor and ‘conscience’ for the next 12 months.”
Community Health Program Director Jane Judd said that clients would be able to access a multi-disciplinary team of key workers, who are qualified Yarra Valley nurses, diabetes nurse educators, podiatrists and dieticians.
Seymour MP Ben Hardman and Monbulk MP James Merlino officially launched the new initiative at the Ranges Community Health centre in Lilydale.
Mr Merlino said at the launch that he understood the effects of type two diabetes, with his father ‘doing OK’ after being diagnosed with the chronic disease years ago.
“This is a great initiative and I’m really glad that it’s in full swing in the Yarra Ranges,” Mr Merlino said.
For more information on the EIiCD program please phone Yarra Valley Community Health on 1300 130 381 or visit www.rangeschs.org.au.