22 Years and Counting!
Welcome to this very special edition of IMARA Woman Magazine. This edition marks the start of the 22nd year of the publication! It has been a joy to bring you the stories, events and television interviews that highlight our mission—to inform, inspire and empower. We are delighted to celebrate this anniversary milestone in collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), which was there with us from the beginning. At IMARA Woman Magazine, we recognize the importance and the value of good health—mind, body and spirit. The stories in IMARA offer sage advice from experts to help you stay healthy because good health is a valuable resource that should not be taken for granted.
In this Special Edition we are once again partnering with DHEC to provide a variety of resources to help you prevent or manage diabetes. This crippling disease affects the African American and Hispanic population in significantly higher numbers than their White counterparts. Diabetes is more than just “a touch of sugar.” It can lead to blindness, heart disease, amputations and more. That is why DHEC is making every effort to help prevent the onset of diabetes and help those with diabetes learn effective ways to manage the disease.
As you read the stories in this edition, please take advantage of the programs and resources highlighted in each article. Many of these programs are free to participate and are offered in rural communities. Learning that you are prediabetic can help you make small changes to prevent becoming a diabetic.
At IMARA, we pride ourselves in providing information in a culturally relevant way that validates how we live and learn. Information is powerful and helps motivate us to change both our behavior and mindset. Our health is our wealth, and protecting our health is just like having money in the bank.
Let’s make a commitment, starting today, to do our part to prevent diabetes and manage it better if already diagnosed. We can make the changes needed to live a longer and healthier life. Thank you for your loyal support and we look forward to all the amazing opportunities we’ll share together in year 22!
Blessings,
Wendy C. Brawley