Coinciding with National Diabetes Awareness Month, America’s Got Talent winner Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr, is announcing a major partnership with the Everyone with Diabetes Counts (EDC) program to promote free diabetes education classes in southern West Virginia. The free classes, coordinated by the West Virginia Medical Institute (WVMI), are open to people with Medicare, their family members and caregivers. They are designed to help participants with diabetes take control of their diabetes and change their life. Classes are offered throughout 22 counties in southern West Virginia. These include Boone, Braxton, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Putnam, Raleigh, Roane, Summers, Wayne, Webster and Wyoming, “Being from southern West Virginia, I know many people have diabetes,” Murphy said. “I want to get the message out that people can live healthier and happier lives by learning how to best care for themselves. America’s Got Talent changed my life. These classes can change the life of people with diabetes.” Murphy will be lending his talents to support the EDC program by appearing on billboards, recording public service announcements, and arranging for information displays at some of his holiday concerts in West Virginia. The campaign theme - “Control your diabetes. Change your life” - encourages individuals to use the classes as a tool to learn more about their diagnosis and find ways to make their lives healthier. “Landau loves West Virginia and is always looking for ways to give back,” said Burke Allen, Murphy’s manager. “Diabetes is such an epidemic in our state and this seemed like a natural thing for him to support. We’re very excited and hope to bring more awareness to the program.” Nurses and community health workers cover topics that include managing every aspect of diabetes, from nutrition to exercise to important tests and exams. “We are so excited to have the support of Landau on this project,” Beckey Cochran, WVMI’s director of Health Care Quality Improvement, said. “Our hope is that these classes will become a part of the community fabric and continue beyond completion of the initial project. The need for diabetes education is not going away any time soon.” Visit www.diabeteswv.org for a schedule of classes or call 855-4-LANDAU (855-452-6328).
