Up-to-date information on diabetes will be the topic of a conference on March 16, from noon to 4:30 p.m., at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center at Foxwoods Reservation in Mashantucket.

The conference, Diabetes Education 2000, is intended for health professionals and people with diabetes.

"The number of people suffering from diabetes has increased dramatically since the early 1980s," says Cynthia Adams, professor and associate dean in the School of Allied Health. "This is a vital conference, considering these increasing numbers and the rapid growth in scientific improvements for the treatment of diabetes."

The program will focus on the importance of self-care, motivation for medical and dietary compliance, and exercising to delay or avoid complications. Advancements in foods, drugs and other treatments, including mental health treatment, will be explored. Methods specifically designed to help Native Americans will also be addressed. A Health Fair and support for individual care will be provided.

Sponsors of the program include the School of Allied Health, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the Pequot Pharmacy and Augustine Medical of Minneapolis.

Kenneth Reels, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council, who has diabetes, is honorary chairman of the event and will provide opening remarks.

The featured speaker is paralympic champion cyclist Pam Fernandes, who will speak on the value of a healthy lifestyle. Her many achievements, despite her blindness, are inspiring.

Other speakers include Linda Pescatello, an assistant professor of allied health, who will discuss "The Role of Exercise in Preventing Complications" and Wendy Kane, a nutritionist who will discuss "Don't Go From Low to High." Kane is a graduate of UConn's dietetics program in the School of Allied Health.

General registration for the conference is $20; for senior citizens, $10; and for participants requiring CEUs, $45. Registration includes refreshments and educational materials. To register, call Sally Fraley at (860) 486-4262.

Sherry Fisher