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Free Diabetes Foot & Health Clinics for the Underserved Community

The 9^th UMass Diabetes Foot Screening & Health Clinic for the underserved population was held Saturday, November 16 at the Greater Worcester Housing Connection, which provides housing solutions, services and health resources individuals experiencing homelessness.

The inaugural multidisciplinary outreach clinic was held on World Diabetes Day, November 14, 2020, at the Saint Francis Xavier Center in Worcester’s canal district. The bi-annual event has since been held at multiple locations. Organizer Tammy Nguyen, MD, PhD is a vascular surgeon & Diabetes Center of Excellence (DCOE) scientist who combines her interests in diabetic wound healing and homeless medicine to provide necessary health resources to this underserved population.

"Our goal in starting these was to bring accessible healthcare to homeless and underserved individuals with regular outreach clinics to prevent diabetic foot ulcers and other complications from diabetes,” said Dr. Nguyen, a vascular surgeon-scientist who is conducting research about why people with diabetes experience problems with wound healing.

DCOE endocrinologists, nurse practitioners, certified diabetes care & education specialists (CDCES) and registered dietitians volunteer to provide examinations, distribute information and schedule follow-up appointments as necessary. Vascular Surgery, Podiatry, Cardiology, and other departments check vitals, provide foot exams, point-of-care lab testing, wound care & more. Each attendee receives a pair of sneakers & socks donated by Sneakerama, hot food is served, and other resources are provided.

“I’ve met with dozens of people at these clinics who have diabetes and many of them told me about family and friends who also struggle with it,” said Victoria Andersen, a clinical nutritionist & diabetes educator who has volunteered at most of the events. “They were interested in knowing what their blood sugars were and learning how to manage them. It's rewarding to empower people with diet and lifestyle education so they can live their best lives.”

Past clinics were held at the Worcester YMCA, Veteran's Inc., South Middlesex Non-Profit Housing Corp. in Leominster, Aids Project Worcester and the Athol Area YMCA. They continue to grow, both in terms of the number of attendees and services provided.

"These events allow me to show and explain to people how they can make choices in accordance with their health goals," said Andersen. "We provide information about lifestyle modifications they can make to reduce their risk of developing serious complications caused by diabetes."