Third-graders Enjoy Third Annual Diabetic Halloween

Event mixes lessons on diabetes awareness with Halloween fun

By Becky Ceraul
October 24, 2008

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s Student Government Association (SGA), in conjunction with Operation Diabetes, a project of the American Pharmacists Association- Academy of Student Pharmacists, treated a group of Baltimore City third graders to a few tricks and treats at its third annual Diabetic Halloween event on October 23.

Thirty-five third grade students from Belmont Elementary School in West Baltimore enjoyed face painting, puppet and slime making, and a haunted house. Community pharmacy resident Jared Shayka gave the students a tutorial on the different types of diabetes, the impact of untreated high blood sugar, and how to prevent the disease through diet and exercise — messages which resonated with many of the students.

One nine-year-old student who attended Diabetic Halloween has an older brother with diabetes. “He takes medicine and eats vegetables,” she said. The lessons provided by the student pharmacists helped her learn more about “sugar, diabetes and the right foods to eat.”

“It is important for our students to understand diabetes because the disease is prevalent in their families and in their communities,” said Belmont teacher Lizzie Niesz. “Early awareness is a key factor in helping them develop the type of lifestyle that can prevent the development of the disease. And Halloween with the plethora of sweet snacks available is such an appropriate time for this lesson.”

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 23.6 million children and adults in the United States with diabetes. Most of them have type 2 diabetes. Talking to children from an early age about the importance of exercise, good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle may help prevent them from developing type 2 diabetes as adolescents and adults.

Diabetic Halloween was presented as part of the SGA’s celebration of October as American Pharmacy Month. “We promote pharmacy month through activities designed to teach the public about the importance of knowing their pharmacists and having a healthy lifestyle,” said Yara Haddad, president of the SGA and a member of the Class of 2010. “For Diabetic Halloween, we target elementary school children from an inner city school in Baltimore who may not have the opportunity to go trick or treating due to their living arrangements and safety issues. We distribute treats at the various activity stations to give them an opportunity to trick or treat. The second benefit of the event is health education and promoting awareness about diabetes and its associated risks. Diabetes is a disease that affects people of all ages. We are now seeing more and more children being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. This is mainly due to lifestyle — overeating, being overweight and very little physical activity.”