GDM is a type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. It occurs because the mother’s body becomes resistant to insulin due to the effects of changing hormones and the growing baby.  GDM has a greater impact for Indigenous women and their families.  Untreated, the baby may become very large, leading to a difficult delivery. In the long term, GDM can lead to Type 2 diabetes for the mother and child.

However, there is hope.  This hope that will be explored in the NADA webinar in August.  In this webinar, Suzanne Lennon RN, PhD(c) will be speaking on Gestational Diabetes: Risk and Hope.  Suzanne was a bedside nurse in Winnipeg’s inner city for 12 years, working in the high-risk labour and delivery unit, as well as in the intermediate and intensive care nurseries.  Since 2012, she has been researching issues in maternal-child nursing at the College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba.  She will be speaking on GDM, its causes, risks and treatments.  In addition, she will talk about her research on the perception of pregnancy risk for women with GDM and their partners, and how these perceptions impact behavior changes in pregnancy.

We are also very pleased to have Marisa Cardinal joining Suzanne for this webinar.  Marisa is an Indigenous woman who has had GDM.  She will provide her insight based on her experience with GDM.

Registration begins Thursday, August 17^th.
Register at this link:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/gestational-diabetes-risk-and-hope-with-suzanne-lennon-rn-phdc-tickets-36934157058

This webinar will be broadcasted live on Thursday, August 24^th at 12 noon EST.
To view on the 24th, enter as guest at the following link:
https://soadi.adobeconnect.com/traditionalknowledgewebinars/.

The webinar will be broadcast in coordination with the Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle (IDHC formerly SOADI) and First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba and Pathways Partners for Engagement and Knowledge Exchange (PEKE).

See you on August 24th 12:00pm EST to 1:00pm EST.