RANKIN INLET - About 25 elders came together for a tasty meal and to raise awareness on the problem of diabetes at the Rankin Inlet Wellness Centre earlier this month.

Elders Catherine Tudlik, Tommy Samok, Mary Kaput, Barbara Kabluitok and Olivia Pissuk, clockwise from left, enjoy a healthy meal during a diabetes awareness gathering at the Rankin Inlet Wellness Centre earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Cielo Smith

The event was sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Services, with funding provided through the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative.

Community health representative Yvonne Aggark said the focus of the gathering was to increase awareness on diabetes and the steps one can take to help avoid the disease, such as eating properly.

Aggark said the biggest message they're trying to get out to people is that diabetes is preventable.

She said there's been a dramatic rise in the number of Inuit contracting diabetes and more has to be dome to get the disease under control.

"We focused just on the elders for this gathering and they really enjoyed their time at the wellness centre," said Aggark.

"Everyone enjoyed the meal of caribou stew, spending some time together and learning a little more about diabetes.

"Hopefully, an awareness gathering like this will continue on this coming year, but I took over this year's event because the person who had been running the program is no longer with us.

"I'm not sure if I will have the time to be in charge of it next year, but, if not, I do plan to help whoever is."

Aggark said the one disappointment of the awareness gathering was that there would have been a lot more elders able to attend if it were not for the problem of transportation.

She said there were many more elders they knew of who wanted to come, but the centre couldn't provide them with a ride.

"When you're dealing with something that you can learn to avoid, like diabetes, it's always a big help to have the elders aware of it because they're very good at passing on the message to the younger generations in their families.

"The message often seems to be heard better, or is taken more seriously, when it comes from our elders.

"If we are able to hold this event again next year, it looks like we will have a Handi-Van provided by the home-care nurse.

"So, we would then be able to get all the elders who want to come and, I'm sure, we'd have a much bigger turnout."

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