August 7, 2025 • 31 mins
Chelsea Musial is the Executive Director of the American Diabetes Association in Pittsburgh, where she leads efforts to fund research, support families, and advocate for those affected by diabetes. A passionate community builder, Chelsea is also the team captain of “Chelsea’s ChampYinz” in the ADA’s Step Out® Walk. Her leadership is driven by a deep commitment to health equity and empowering others to take bold steps toward a diabetes-free future. https://stepout.diabetes.org/participants/48203
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
A welcome in. This is the CEO's You Should Know podcast.
I'm your host, Johnny Hartwell, let's saylo to Chelsea Usual,
executive director of Western PA's American Diabetes Association. Thank you
for joining me.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
So tell us everything we need to know about the organization.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Yes, So the eighty is celebrating your eighty fifth birthday
this year.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Believe it or not.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Yes, so, congratulation.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
We were founded in nineteen forty and so for the
past eighty five years, the eightya is committed to helping
all people living with diabetes live their healthiest life.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
All right, and you have something special coming up? Tell
us everything we.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Needed, Yes, we sure do so.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
On Saturday, September thirteenth at PNC Park, this is our
annual celebration, our STEPBT walk, really to bring our diabetes
community together for one day to celebrate everyone living with
this disease, get more information, learn more about your diabetes,
and just have a great day down at PNC Park.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
So you're getting people involved, you get in the community involved,
advocacy in the whole nine yards, all of it. Are
some of your sponsors that you want to mention Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So we were so lucky to work with so many
great Pittsburgh based companies including GNC, Chicken of the C
and UPMC are three of our major partners of this
event that I would love to just say.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Tellbody, what's more information about the walk? Where do you
have a website?
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Yes, we do, so you can just search for the
eighty a Pittsburgh Step Out Walk online.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Okay, that's September thirteenth.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Sure is September thirteenth, PNC Park.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
All right, tell me your how did you get involved
with the organization?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Yeah, so it was it was kind of a natural
trajectory and not something that I really anticipated. So I
was diagnosed with type one diabetes at the age of two,
and so pretty much from the day I was diagnosed,
my family leaned in and multiple ways that used to
run a walk in my hometown, I would try to advocate.
I did a lot of public speaking very early on,
(01:51):
and so when I moved to Pittsburgh, I was working
in the for profit sector and an opportunity came up
at the ADA for fundraising and I was like, well,
I'm a pretty strong business acumen and a foundation from
the business sector, and I have this disease, so I'm
comfortable speaking about it, and so it's just became the
perfect marriage of my career. And so I've now been
(02:14):
working at the ADA for eight years and I've had
Type one diabetes for thirty three and so you know,
when I meet people, I always tell them my work
is so personal for me. So you know, when we're
meeting with donors and families and everyone in our community,
I can truly feel what they're experiencing because I'm living
it day and day out myself.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
It seems like everybody knows about diabetes, but not everybody
understands it. So can you can you clarify some of
the myths and misconceptions totally?
Speaker 3 (02:42):
And I appreciate you saying that, because that's if I
had a dollar for every time I said that.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
I feel it the same way.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
So as prevalent as diabetes has become, it's still vastly
misunderstood and heavily stigmatized. So, you know, a few things,
just off the top of my head, there's a lot
of well you did this to yourself. That is not
necessarily the case. Diabetes can be brought on from a
multitude of different factors. It could be familial history, your ethnicity.
(03:10):
Certain ethnicities put you at higher risk. I mean, of course,
day to day lifestyle and living a healthier life, yes,
that will have an impact on potentially the development of
the disease, and if you're carrying excess weight, especially in
your abdomen.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
But I think we.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Have to take away the shame that is associated with diabetes,
So that's one thing, and just allowing people to just
kind of own this disease for what it is. I
sometimes think that, you know, sometimes the cards might be
stacked against you. If you don't have access to medical care,
you don't have access to the healthiest diet. So let's
just try to remove the stigma and just support people
(03:44):
so we can all have a healthier life with diabetes.
Another clarifying point is that there are multiple types of diabetes,
so a lot of people don't understand the differences. So
if you think about the disease as itself, there's four
different types of dietes. The most common that you hear about,
you know, in the news, when you think about numbers
are on the rise, that's type two diabetes. Type two
(04:07):
diabetes is usually diagnosed later in life, although we're seeing
it even in youth as young as you know, ten
eleven years old, but historically speaking type two later in life,
strong familial history. You know, diet and exercise do play
into this, but like I said, there are other factors
as well, like certain ethnicities are at a higher rate.
So type two is ninety five percent of diagnosed cases.
(04:30):
Then there's type one, which is what I have, And
the difference between the two is all around the relationship
with the hormone insulin. So diabetes is a disease that's
that's managing the blood glucose in your bloodstream, right, so
everything that you eat that has carbohydrates is broken down
into glucose and then that's what the body uses for energy.
(04:51):
So if you don't have if you're not producing enough
insulin or you don't make insulin from the pancreas, that
sugar isn't able to get out of the bloodstream and
transported by the insulin to where it needs to go
to power your brain and just honestly help you function.
So when you have type one diabetes, you don't produce
any insulin at all, so you're on twenty four to
seven insulin therapy, whether it's wearing a pump or doing
(05:13):
daily injections. And so the biggest difference between type one
and type two is with type two diabetes, you are
still making some insulin and you might not need to
be on an injection, and.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
It's a gradual onset.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah, yes, it could take. Some people might live years,
like years.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
With like a slow onset of type two and have
no idea. So that's what I think that a lot
of what we try to promote is just making sure
you're aware of your risk factors, having these conversations with
your physician, because you might not know until the onset
of some of the complications start to form that you're
even having high blood sugar levels. So it's it's kind
of like a slow disease. And so that's where we
(05:55):
really just try to promote just overall awareness of it.
Testing your doing a fasting blood glucose reading with your physician,
or an A one C is a term that people
might be familiar with, like if you get a blood
panel and they check your A one C, like that's
an elevated A one C is something that they look for.
And then the other two types not as common, but
gestational diabetes, which is what you hear women experience in pregnancy,
(06:19):
so that's about ten percent of pregnancies. And then pre diabetes,
which is there's about gosh, I think it's like over
ninety million people at this point in the country are
living in a pre diabetic state. So to your point,
you're starting to have those higher blood sugar readings, but
it has not turned into full fledged type two diabetes.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Do people realize the difference between Now the last two
are kind of like you said, they're a little different
type around Type two are generally what we're going to
be talking about, right, Do people understand the difference between
type one and type two?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
No? No, I definitely don't think so.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I mean a lot of times for the longest time,
and you and I were just speaking on Type one
diabetes used to be referred to as juvenile diabetes because
most people were diagnosed under the age of eighteen, so
like me, I was diagnosed at the age of two.
But we have tried to move away from calling it
juvenile diabetes and just strictly type one diabetes because more
and more people are being diagnosed in adulthood. And the biggest,
(07:21):
like I said, the biggest difference between the two is
all around the relationship with insulin. If you have type
one diabetes, you do not produce insulin and you will
never produce insulin again until a cure for diabetes is found.
So I will be on twenty four to seven blood
sugar management and insulin therapy until we find the cure.
Type two, and it's type one is also like a
(07:43):
very quick onset, like usually you get really sick, like
it can be life or death if not caught. So
it's a little bit more extreme when it comes to
like the diagnosis of type one, type two, a little
bit slower, a little bit more gradual, and it's just
that the body is still making insulin, but it's not
making enough to support your day to day life, or
you're starting to have a little bit of that resistance
(08:05):
to the hormone insulin.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Now, for your organization, you basically you want to advocate
for both. You want to you want to educate for
both type one, type two and the other other forms
of diabetes as well. So when you were first diagnosed,
you were two, So you weren't you probably weren't. You
were barely talking, probably, and yes, probably barely walking. Yes,
(08:27):
how were you diagnosed?
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Yeah, So I was, yes, so not talking, you know,
barely walking. And some of the signs and symptoms of diabetes,
and this is for all types, are excessive thirst, frequent urination,
extremely lethargic, sometimes blurry vision. And so when it pertains
to my story, my parents just remember I would just be,
(08:52):
you know, crazily drinking like excess water and fluids, and
I would just like drink a whole sippy cup. More
so they're like, all right, that's a little strange. Going
through diapers like nobody's business. So like, oh, it must
it must be. It must be the diaper brand, Like
this is something wrong with these diapers. Why are they
all leaking? So I was brought to the pediatrician and
actually misdiagnosed at first, And that's sometimes can happen with
(09:16):
type one because it can be.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Brought on by, you know, a virus.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Usually it can kind of be one of those triggers
to have the body to attack because diabetes is autoimmune.
So I first was was misdiagnosed, and then I progressively
got like severely severely ill. And so by the time
my parents brought me into the emergency room because it
was just getting to the point where they couldn't figure
out what was happening. I was in a comatose state,
(09:42):
so all my veins had collapsed, which I had gone
into a technical term in diabetes as diabetes keto acidosis.
So this is when your blood sugar and the key
tones that you're producing were just so high that my
body couldn't support it anymore. So my life was saved
in Memorial Day weekendnineteen ninety two by they they were
(10:03):
able to administer insulin through my femeral artery and that's
what saved my life.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
So what are some of the things that you've had
to do, especially as a child. You know, it's you know,
it's hard to you know, now we'll talk about some
of the things that.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Have changed my life. The technology, Yes.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
But as a two year old, you're facing, you know,
a life and death situation, but you're not aware of it.
You don't know like monitors and things like that. So
that's that's got to be a tough situation for your parents.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Oh, I have the utmost admiration for my mom and dad,
and now being a parent myself, it was an incredible
amount of pressure and I will say to all my
parents' credit they never I never felt they never allowed
me to feel that. My parents did a tremendous job
in setting me up to live. They wanted me to
always live as normal a life as possible. So if
(10:52):
I was going to a sleepover, my mom would come
over at eleven o'clock at night and give me a
shot and go home just so I could be there
with my friends. And so the burden was absolutely on
my mom and dad. Now, as I got older, and
this is one thing that we offer at the American
Diabetes Association, I became more independent with my disease. I
went to We offer camps through the ADA for kids
with type one that you're surrounded by other children with
(11:15):
type one diabetes, and they taught me how to do
my own insulin injections.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
They taught me how to count my carbohydrates.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
So as I got older and could assume more responsibility,
I was able to at least take some ownership and
a little bit of that burden off my parents. But
I mean, I'm thirty five years old and my dad
still asked me how my.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Blood sugars are. So the life of a parent never ends.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
So does diabetes have a it does hereditary component? To it.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
It does, yes, so my children will be at an
increased risk. So it's something that you know, physicians will
look for in the future and track my children.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Was there anybody in your family that had to now? Wow?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
So that's where it can be somewhat mysterious in that
it is hereditary, But there are many cases like where
we do.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
I did not have any familial history.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
What kind of advancements have you seen since you've had
it in the you know, in those thirty five.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Years, it's been amazing.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
That's the one thing that we do have going for
us in the diabetes community. So for me personally, but
I would say most people would attest to this. There's
a new system called a continuous glucose monitor, so you've
probably seen this. People might wear them on the backs
of their arms, and many companies now offer them, and
that essentially eliminated the daily finger sticks. So you know,
(12:34):
when I was first diagnosed, my parents were drawing up
insolin syringes and pricking my fingers, you know, for a
blood gluecose test at least six to eight times a day.
So now one of the greatest advancements, and I think
which changed my life, is wearing a CDM continuous gluecose
monitor and that monitors my blood shggers twenty four to seven,
so I could look on my phone right now and
(12:56):
see where I am.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Phone and smart watches wild.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
It also talks to my pump, so to like, if
I start going high, my pump will give me micro
doses of insulin, and if my blood sugar starts to
go low, it'll suspend my pump.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
So they also talk to each other.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
And the other advancement is that you know, the education
of diabetes. You have teachers who are understanding diabetes more
and more and caregivers and things like that so.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Very much so that helps. It helps tremendously.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
And just a shout out to our healthcare community here
in western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is one of the leading regions in.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Diabetes education diabetes research.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
One of the first diabetes educators in the country came
out of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. So I
don't know if people realize how lucky we are to
live in the healthcare region that we do, but we
are a diabetes powerhouse here in Pittsburgh, and just the
education and the curriculum and what comes out of Pittsburgh
truly sets the tone around the country.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Do we have a higher level of diabetes in a community?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
We're about on par with maybe slightly higher than average.
So it's about ten percent of the population is diagnosed
and living with diabetes.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Pittsburgh, Western PEP.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
We have accused of having a healthy lifestyle.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
I think, you know, yeah, yeah, I mean we put
fries on our on our salads with the.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Ultimate Pittsburgh joke.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
So I can't say we're the pinnacle of health per se.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
But we're not. We're not too too far off the average.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Okay. Now, when it comes to the Step Out Walk,
which is coming up on the thirteenth, and you can
get more information by googling Step Out Diabetes Pittsburgh, you'll
find information. So when it comes to your walk, how
how do we rank as far as other cities are concerned?
Speaker 2 (14:47):
They're the biggest?
Speaker 1 (14:48):
What?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (14:49):
For real?
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Why?
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I don't know if you set me up on that one,
but I'm happy to answer we are the biggest and
we're the best. Why I think because I honestly think
it's just because of the community. Well, first of all,
I had to give my team a shout out I
have an incredible group of women that I work with. Secondly,
I think that Pittsburgh likes to see Pittsburgh win. Pittsburgh
likes to lift each other up, and there's a magic
(15:13):
in the community in this region.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
And I think that when my team and I were.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Thinking about how to change the format of the walk,
like I mentioned earlier, we're going to panc Park, and
the Pirates and p and C Park have been like
tremendous to work with. I was like, you know, if
I'm being honest with myself and with the listeners, like
you could go to a different nonprofit walk every weekend.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
There's probably six you could choose from.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
So I just started asking myself, like, what can we
do to make this feel even more fun and more
lively and more energetic. And so that was part of
the reason that we moved from you know, your traditional
open lawn format to the baseball stadium. And so we're
in the river Walk, which is in the in the
outfield of PNC Park, which is beautiful and redone, and
we have live music and it's just it feels fun
(15:56):
and it feels celebratory. And so I think between kind
of changing the tone of the event and trying to
push the needle and make it just fee little bit
more fun versus traditional and our sponsors. Like I said,
I think once again, I just think Pittsburgh wants to
see Pittsburgh do well.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
And a lot of these companies understand that.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
And when you think about diabetes, it's extremely costly. So
it's not something I've touched upon yet, but you know,
when I talk about leaders of large organizations, you know,
diabetes is a cost driver. You know, it costs a
lot to an individual, to your family, and to these organizations,
and so you know, if we can get healthier, it's
(16:33):
it hopefully we'll save on the bottom line from healthcare standpoint.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
And you got three really respected organizations helping G and
C yeah checking out the c UPMC. All respected organizations
here in.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Town totally, and it's fun because they're each from different
industries too, you know, they're each kind of in there,
but they all want people to live their healthiest life
and that's what we're after as well.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
You know, I have other questions about diabetes, but let's
talk about the walk. What are some of the things
that goes on at the TAME.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Yeah, so it starts at eight thirty and like I said,
it's it's in that new Riverwalk like outfield area of
PNC Park, and so we have tons of vendors on sites.
So what I wanted it to be is just kind
of a one stop shop for people living with this
disease to leave with so much information. So, you know,
we have Drinego on site and they usually do vaccinations.
(17:24):
We have multiple pharmaceutical vendors who make products like the
CGM I was referring to, or insulin pumps or you know,
so we we have I'm trying to really push it
so that we have resources there. So if you're living
with this disease and you were just recently diagnosed and
you're feeling overwhelmed, or maybe you're in a pre diabetic
state and you just don't even kind of know where
to begin, use this as just a doorway to at
(17:47):
least start somewhere and learn more about the ADA and
how we can support you in your journey and also
the other resources that are available here in western Pennsylvania.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
You mentioned your team, Yeah, so tell me about your Yeah,
so we are.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
We are a small but mighty team of four women,
and so we run the American Diabetes Association market here
in Western Pennsylvania. And so you know, my team and
I manage relationships with our recently diagnosed families or helping
to execute our Camp Courage that we do with families
with Type one. We do programs in the school system
(18:22):
called Project Power, so we work with physical education teachers
to help teach them curriculum around diabetes and healthy eating
to try to get ahead of diagnosis at a young age.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
That's more in the Type two sector.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
So my team and I really manage the market, you know,
Soup to Nuts and also working with our sponsors like
we've mentioned, so they're just tremendous and very intelligent women.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
What can what would you want our community to do
or understand about diabetes? And of course you would want
them to participate in the in the walk, But what
is the one thing you really want Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh
community to know about your organization?
Speaker 2 (19:01):
If you have it, own it and take action now.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Because what people don't realize is that when the complications
of diabetes begin to surface, it's already too late. But
the problem is it's not like upon diagnosis, it's like
flipping a light switch. It could take five to ten
years for severe complications to occur.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
So when you think about having high.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Sugar levels in your blood, it is reaking havoc on
everything in your body, so from the little capillaries in
your eyes to the tips of your toes. So if
you're not managing it and you have all this excess
glucose in your bloodstream, the complications occur because the cells
are carrying this excess sugar, they can't get to where
(19:48):
they need to go. So when you're hearing about you
know the complications are severe, it's it's blindness, it's amputation,
it's organ failure. So I think what happens is because
it takes so long for those complications to develop, people
are more reactive to diabetes and proactive. So if there's
(20:11):
anything I want people to know, like it's okay if
you have this disease, Like please don't punish yourself or
guilt yourself that you did something wrong, like you did
not just own where you're at in your health journey
right now, And I just beg people to get ahead
and take control of this disease early and not wait
for things to get too bad.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Now, we were joking about the Pittsburgh diet. But the
you know, United States in general hold out we have
a terrible diet. Yes we do, in general, Yes we do.
And so you talked about education and starting early. What
are some things you want people to know about that?
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (20:47):
I mean even if so when we talk about people
who are in a pre diabetic state, so you know,
if you've gone to your physician and you've gotten I
believe it's an A one C up to six point four,
you're still you're considered in a pre diabetic state. So
when you start creeping like five point seven to six
point four on an A one C, you might be
in a pre diabetic state. You can do something that
(21:08):
does not mean that you are destined to have type
two diabetes. We say, if you simply lose I know,
look easier said than done. I've struggled with my weight
my whole life. But if you could lose ten percent
of your body weight, it will reduce your risk of
developing type two diabetes by fifty percent. So just start small,
like the ADA says, thirty minutes of exercise a day,
(21:30):
thirty minutes. Just carve out thirty minutes, go for a walk.
Try to make small changes in your diet. Can you
cut three hundred calories a day? Like, just small changes,
Like obviously like a lot of the healthy eating that
we all should know, but it's hard to practice right,
Like how do you build your plate? Like fifty percent
should be protein, twenty five percent healthy starches, twenty five
(21:51):
percent a healthy vegetable. So just small, mindful shifts. You
don't have to overhaul your entire life. I think that's
when people get overwhelmed. Well, small changes, Yeah, small changes
do have an effect. But you know, you know a
lot of people are you know it's you know, oh
that doughnut looks good. Oh, you know you're putting out
chips at that at work, or somebody's buying this, and
(22:12):
and that's tough. But just imagine when you get diagnosed
with diabetes. You know this as a type one yes person,
your life kind of revolves around managing your blood sugar.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Twenty four to seven.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
It never stops that and that also can lead to
a lot of burnout. So if anyone listening has diabetes
type one or type two, it can't it never stop.
So there is a lot of burnout that can come
with a disease.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
So once you get the diagnosis. You know that it's
it's you're.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
In it for the long haul. You are, you're in
it for the long haul.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Now is it for somebody who has type two? Is
it possible to reverse? And and and.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
Yes, yes, yes, I'll say yes with an asterisk and
now an under chronologist we'll be able to explain this
much better.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Than me, but I'll give it my best shot.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
So, yes, there are things that you can do to
either get off of medications that you might be taking.
So you know, a lot of people are on very
common drugs such as met Foreman glp ones, which are
like the ozembics and the w goovi's that we all
hear about so much in the market. So a lot
of that will come from the lifestyle changes. So if
you are able to lose that weight, if you are
(23:23):
able to make you know a little bit more better
management from a lifestyle standpoint with type two, like you clarified,
like type two not type one, I will always be
on insulin type two diabetes. You can scale it back
the medications that you're on, maybe go off of insulin
if you're a Type two that's taking injections. So yes,
there are changes that you can make to try to
help control it that way.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Can you speak of the role of community partnership and
advancing some of your goals. Can you tell how Pittsburgh
obviously has embraced your organization, Why is that and how
is that how's that played into your advantage?
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Totally? I think that.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
I think that diabetes is just too prevalent for us
not to do something together. And that's kind of the
message that you know, I've been saying to the many
executives that we've been working with. I mean, as it stands,
one in three people have diabetes.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
In this country.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Fifty percent of Americans are at risk or will develop
diabetes in their lifetime if we don't start doing something now.
And so I do think that what I'm trying to
do is create a greater sense of urgency if you
haven't since that yet at the individual level and the
progression of the disease, but on a greater level, if
we don't all do something together, Like I said, fifty
(24:46):
percent of American adults will be living with diabetes and
we just I just can't imagine a life like that.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
And so I think that people know it.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
I think we're to the point with this disease where
it's either a first degree or second degree of separation.
And I think that the ADA does tremendous work. We
really are the authority on diabetes care. And so you know,
it takes all of us to work together. You know,
for profit needs nonprofit and the nonprofit needs the for
profit sector.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
It's a symbiotic relationship.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
And so you know, I so appreciate the organizations that
have chosen to lean in and help us because none
of us can do it alone and we won't be
able to.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
You briefly mentioned this in our conversation, but how costly diabetes.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Very very tell us more.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
One in four healthcare dollars are spent on diabetes. I
think it's and I hopefully I won't misquote this, but
it's well into I think it's around three to four
hundred billion dollars annually is spent on diabetes because there's
so much that's tied to it.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
So you know, as I.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Said, it's a chronic disease, it's it's chronic. You will
have this for the rest of your life, yes one
type two again, that is, you may get it in
your thirties and forties, fifties, you have to you have
to manage that for.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Correct correct and like I said, all the complications that
could come of it. That's frequent trips to the hospital,
you know, like you said, I am on I get
an insulin delivered monthly, I have pump supplies, I have
continuous glucose monitor supplies, and I'm I'm grateful that I'm
in a position that I can afford it, and my
family was always able to afford it. But there's an
(26:18):
affordability factor with this disease too, that the ADA really
advocates for. I mean, at one point, the cost of
insulince since it was patented has risen over three hundred percent.
You know, when insulin was patented one hundred years ago,
they sold the patent for a dollar. Sometimes people are
having to pay three, four or five hundred dollars out
of pocket for.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
A vial of insulin.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
So when you hear about a lot of this being spoken,
you know at the federal state, you know level from
the government standpoint, that's why insulin has brought up so
much because the cost has just become astronomical. And so
that's a huge part of what we advocate for. And
advocacy is one of the pillars at the ADA is
that we have to make this disease manageable from an
(26:59):
affordability state point, because it's a burden, Like I was
saying earlier, it's a burden on families, it's a burden
on healthcare systems, to burden on our corporations, and.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
So we have to fit.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
That's way above my pay grade, but we do have
to figure out the affordability is just huge with it.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
What can we do as a community to reduce the
stigma surrounding diabetes and encouraging people to seek early diagnosis
and treatment.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I wish I had like the perfect answer for that.
I think that.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
I'm not sure how diabetes became the butt of so
many jokes, but it has.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Right, So you see.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
Someone eating a donut, You're like, oh, you're gonna get diabetes, right, Like,
there's so many jokes, and I don't really know how
that came to be, but it just did. I think
that that gentleman on the horse with the mustache like
probably didn't help.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
I can't even think of his name right now.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
You ran into Billy Gardilla, Yeah, and he.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Brought it up right off that. I was like, see,
this is what I'm talking about. I just think that,
like I said, I think we have to we just
had to remove the shame.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
And I think that, you know, societies speaking, we're so
quick to like judge people in today's day need and it's.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Like, let's just just let's all.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
Just relax, right, Like, let's apport people where they are,
let's meet people where they are. Please do not put
extra shame on yourself if you got to this position
for one way or another, whether your grandmother had it,
maybe you're rail thin and you got diabetes, or maybe
you're struggling with you're waiting you got diabetes. It doesn't matter.
What matters is we have to embrace this disease for
what it is. We have to get healthier for the
sake of our communities and our families. And I'm in
(28:32):
the business of longevity. I just want people to live
their healthiest life for as long as they can.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
It's almost to the to the extent that a majority
of Americans are either pre diabetic diabetes. Yes they have it,
or they're going to get it, or they're going to
get it correct and guarantee there's somebody in their family
that doesn't.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Have this point.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Yes, it touches our lives almost on a daily basis.
All Right, So I've kept you in the in the
in the airchair way too long, and I have You've
been great and very educational a lot. I appreciate that.
But let's end by telling everybody what they need to
know about the walk.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Yes, yes, so please come out and join us. There
is no registration fee there, just please come and if
nothing more, celebrate and learn with us. Saturday, September thirteenth
at P and C Park eight thirty am.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
We'll be on the river Walk all afternoon. We're doing a.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Beautiful you know walk route down on the Riverfront trail
in Pittsburgh, and it's just it's a really fun day.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
Hopefully, I believe I'll be seeing you there.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
I'll be there. I'll be there. So how many how
many years have you done the walk? Oh?
Speaker 2 (29:32):
It's been years. It's been years.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
We took you know, like many nonprofits who took a
break with our events in the pandemic and kind of
rose back out of the ashes.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Which is when did you team up with P and
C Park and the Pirates.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
This is our second year. Okay, so it's like it's
it's been new and they've been lovely. So yeah, September thirteenth,
please come, learn, celebrate, share.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
We got to all do this together, all right.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
It's the twenty twenty five Step Out Walk in Pittsburgh.
It's on the River Walk at P and C Park
Saturday morning, September thirteenth. Just google step Out, diabetes dot
org and all that good stuff and sign up, or
at least if you want more information about the organization,
you can check that out. Yes, Chelsea, this has been
an absolute pleasure. Thank you so much for your to
Thank you for having me once again. If you want
(30:15):
more information, you can check out their website by googlingdiabetes
dot org. There's a great resource of all the information.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Can I give one other plug for another good resource
to help people. You can call one eight hundred diabetes
if you're struggling to afford your medication, if you're feeling overwhelmed,
if you have questions about diabetes. One eight hundred diabetes.
It's an incredible resources that the ADA has.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Chelsea Musual, executive director for Western PA and Eastern Ohio.
I should have added that at the beginning. The American
Diabetes Association, thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Thank you. This is lovely.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
This has been the CEOs you should know, podcasts showcasing
businesses that are driving our regional economy. Part of iHeartMedia's
commitment to the communities we serve. I'm Johnny Hartwell, thank
you so much for listening.
A welcome in. This is the CEO's You Should Know podcast.
I'm your host, Johnny Hartwell, let's saylo to Chelsea Usual,
executive director of Western PA's American Diabetes Association. Thank you
for joining me.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
So tell us everything we need to know about the organization.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Yes, So the eighty is celebrating your eighty fifth birthday
this year.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Believe it or not.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Yes, so, congratulation.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
We were founded in nineteen forty and so for the
past eighty five years, the eightya is committed to helping
all people living with diabetes live their healthiest life.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
All right, and you have something special coming up? Tell
us everything we.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Needed, Yes, we sure do so.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
On Saturday, September thirteenth at PNC Park, this is our
annual celebration, our STEPBT walk, really to bring our diabetes
community together for one day to celebrate everyone living with
this disease, get more information, learn more about your diabetes,
and just have a great day down at PNC Park.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
So you're getting people involved, you get in the community involved,
advocacy in the whole nine yards, all of it. Are
some of your sponsors that you want to mention Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So we were so lucky to work with so many
great Pittsburgh based companies including GNC, Chicken of the C
and UPMC are three of our major partners of this
event that I would love to just say.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Tellbody, what's more information about the walk? Where do you
have a website?
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Yes, we do, so you can just search for the
eighty a Pittsburgh Step Out Walk online.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Okay, that's September thirteenth.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Sure is September thirteenth, PNC Park.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
All right, tell me your how did you get involved
with the organization?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Yeah, so it was it was kind of a natural
trajectory and not something that I really anticipated. So I
was diagnosed with type one diabetes at the age of two,
and so pretty much from the day I was diagnosed,
my family leaned in and multiple ways that used to
run a walk in my hometown, I would try to advocate.
I did a lot of public speaking very early on,
(01:51):
and so when I moved to Pittsburgh, I was working
in the for profit sector and an opportunity came up
at the ADA for fundraising and I was like, well,
I'm a pretty strong business acumen and a foundation from
the business sector, and I have this disease, so I'm
comfortable speaking about it, and so it's just became the
perfect marriage of my career. And so I've now been
(02:14):
working at the ADA for eight years and I've had
Type one diabetes for thirty three and so you know,
when I meet people, I always tell them my work
is so personal for me. So you know, when we're
meeting with donors and families and everyone in our community,
I can truly feel what they're experiencing because I'm living
it day and day out myself.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
It seems like everybody knows about diabetes, but not everybody
understands it. So can you can you clarify some of
the myths and misconceptions totally?
Speaker 3 (02:42):
And I appreciate you saying that, because that's if I
had a dollar for every time I said that.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
I feel it the same way.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
So as prevalent as diabetes has become, it's still vastly
misunderstood and heavily stigmatized. So, you know, a few things,
just off the top of my head, there's a lot
of well you did this to yourself. That is not
necessarily the case. Diabetes can be brought on from a
multitude of different factors. It could be familial history, your ethnicity.
(03:10):
Certain ethnicities put you at higher risk. I mean, of course,
day to day lifestyle and living a healthier life, yes,
that will have an impact on potentially the development of
the disease, and if you're carrying excess weight, especially in
your abdomen.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
But I think we.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Have to take away the shame that is associated with diabetes,
So that's one thing, and just allowing people to just
kind of own this disease for what it is. I
sometimes think that, you know, sometimes the cards might be
stacked against you. If you don't have access to medical care,
you don't have access to the healthiest diet. So let's
just try to remove the stigma and just support people
(03:44):
so we can all have a healthier life with diabetes.
Another clarifying point is that there are multiple types of diabetes,
so a lot of people don't understand the differences. So
if you think about the disease as itself, there's four
different types of dietes. The most common that you hear about,
you know, in the news, when you think about numbers
are on the rise, that's type two diabetes. Type two
(04:07):
diabetes is usually diagnosed later in life, although we're seeing
it even in youth as young as you know, ten
eleven years old, but historically speaking type two later in life,
strong familial history. You know, diet and exercise do play
into this, but like I said, there are other factors
as well, like certain ethnicities are at a higher rate.
So type two is ninety five percent of diagnosed cases.
(04:30):
Then there's type one, which is what I have, And
the difference between the two is all around the relationship
with the hormone insulin. So diabetes is a disease that's
that's managing the blood glucose in your bloodstream, right, so
everything that you eat that has carbohydrates is broken down
into glucose and then that's what the body uses for energy.
(04:51):
So if you don't have if you're not producing enough
insulin or you don't make insulin from the pancreas, that
sugar isn't able to get out of the bloodstream and
transported by the insulin to where it needs to go
to power your brain and just honestly help you function.
So when you have type one diabetes, you don't produce
any insulin at all, so you're on twenty four to
seven insulin therapy, whether it's wearing a pump or doing
(05:13):
daily injections. And so the biggest difference between type one
and type two is with type two diabetes, you are
still making some insulin and you might not need to
be on an injection, and.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
It's a gradual onset.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah, yes, it could take. Some people might live years,
like years.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
With like a slow onset of type two and have
no idea. So that's what I think that a lot
of what we try to promote is just making sure
you're aware of your risk factors, having these conversations with
your physician, because you might not know until the onset
of some of the complications start to form that you're
even having high blood sugar levels. So it's it's kind
of like a slow disease. And so that's where we
(05:55):
really just try to promote just overall awareness of it.
Testing your doing a fasting blood glucose reading with your physician,
or an A one C is a term that people
might be familiar with, like if you get a blood
panel and they check your A one C, like that's
an elevated A one C is something that they look for.
And then the other two types not as common, but
gestational diabetes, which is what you hear women experience in pregnancy,
(06:19):
so that's about ten percent of pregnancies. And then pre diabetes,
which is there's about gosh, I think it's like over
ninety million people at this point in the country are
living in a pre diabetic state. So to your point,
you're starting to have those higher blood sugar readings, but
it has not turned into full fledged type two diabetes.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Do people realize the difference between Now the last two
are kind of like you said, they're a little different
type around Type two are generally what we're going to
be talking about, right, Do people understand the difference between
type one and type two?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
No? No, I definitely don't think so.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I mean a lot of times for the longest time,
and you and I were just speaking on Type one
diabetes used to be referred to as juvenile diabetes because
most people were diagnosed under the age of eighteen, so
like me, I was diagnosed at the age of two.
But we have tried to move away from calling it
juvenile diabetes and just strictly type one diabetes because more
and more people are being diagnosed in adulthood. And the biggest,
(07:21):
like I said, the biggest difference between the two is
all around the relationship with insulin. If you have type
one diabetes, you do not produce insulin and you will
never produce insulin again until a cure for diabetes is found.
So I will be on twenty four to seven blood
sugar management and insulin therapy until we find the cure.
Type two, and it's type one is also like a
(07:43):
very quick onset, like usually you get really sick, like
it can be life or death if not caught. So
it's a little bit more extreme when it comes to
like the diagnosis of type one, type two, a little
bit slower, a little bit more gradual, and it's just
that the body is still making insulin, but it's not
making enough to support your day to day life, or
you're starting to have a little bit of that resistance
(08:05):
to the hormone insulin.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Now, for your organization, you basically you want to advocate
for both. You want to you want to educate for
both type one, type two and the other other forms
of diabetes as well. So when you were first diagnosed,
you were two, So you weren't you probably weren't. You
were barely talking, probably, and yes, probably barely walking. Yes,
(08:27):
how were you diagnosed?
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Yeah, So I was, yes, so not talking, you know,
barely walking. And some of the signs and symptoms of diabetes,
and this is for all types, are excessive thirst, frequent urination,
extremely lethargic, sometimes blurry vision. And so when it pertains
to my story, my parents just remember I would just be,
(08:52):
you know, crazily drinking like excess water and fluids, and
I would just like drink a whole sippy cup. More
so they're like, all right, that's a little strange. Going
through diapers like nobody's business. So like, oh, it must
it must be. It must be the diaper brand, Like
this is something wrong with these diapers. Why are they
all leaking? So I was brought to the pediatrician and
actually misdiagnosed at first, And that's sometimes can happen with
(09:16):
type one because it can be.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Brought on by, you know, a virus.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Usually it can kind of be one of those triggers
to have the body to attack because diabetes is autoimmune.
So I first was was misdiagnosed, and then I progressively
got like severely severely ill. And so by the time
my parents brought me into the emergency room because it
was just getting to the point where they couldn't figure
out what was happening. I was in a comatose state,
(09:42):
so all my veins had collapsed, which I had gone
into a technical term in diabetes as diabetes keto acidosis.
So this is when your blood sugar and the key
tones that you're producing were just so high that my
body couldn't support it anymore. So my life was saved
in Memorial Day weekendnineteen ninety two by they they were
(10:03):
able to administer insulin through my femeral artery and that's
what saved my life.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
So what are some of the things that you've had
to do, especially as a child. You know, it's you know,
it's hard to you know, now we'll talk about some
of the things that.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Have changed my life. The technology, Yes.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
But as a two year old, you're facing, you know,
a life and death situation, but you're not aware of it.
You don't know like monitors and things like that. So
that's that's got to be a tough situation for your parents.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Oh, I have the utmost admiration for my mom and dad,
and now being a parent myself, it was an incredible
amount of pressure and I will say to all my
parents' credit they never I never felt they never allowed
me to feel that. My parents did a tremendous job
in setting me up to live. They wanted me to
always live as normal a life as possible. So if
(10:52):
I was going to a sleepover, my mom would come
over at eleven o'clock at night and give me a
shot and go home just so I could be there
with my friends. And so the burden was absolutely on
my mom and dad. Now, as I got older, and
this is one thing that we offer at the American
Diabetes Association, I became more independent with my disease. I
went to We offer camps through the ADA for kids
with type one that you're surrounded by other children with
(11:15):
type one diabetes, and they taught me how to do
my own insulin injections.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
They taught me how to count my carbohydrates.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
So as I got older and could assume more responsibility,
I was able to at least take some ownership and
a little bit of that burden off my parents. But
I mean, I'm thirty five years old and my dad
still asked me how my.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Blood sugars are. So the life of a parent never ends.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
So does diabetes have a it does hereditary component? To it.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
It does, yes, so my children will be at an
increased risk. So it's something that you know, physicians will
look for in the future and track my children.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Was there anybody in your family that had to now? Wow?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
So that's where it can be somewhat mysterious in that
it is hereditary, But there are many cases like where
we do.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
I did not have any familial history.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
What kind of advancements have you seen since you've had
it in the you know, in those thirty five.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Years, it's been amazing.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
That's the one thing that we do have going for
us in the diabetes community. So for me personally, but
I would say most people would attest to this. There's
a new system called a continuous glucose monitor, so you've
probably seen this. People might wear them on the backs
of their arms, and many companies now offer them, and
that essentially eliminated the daily finger sticks. So you know,
(12:34):
when I was first diagnosed, my parents were drawing up
insolin syringes and pricking my fingers, you know, for a
blood gluecose test at least six to eight times a day.
So now one of the greatest advancements, and I think
which changed my life, is wearing a CDM continuous gluecose
monitor and that monitors my blood shggers twenty four to seven,
so I could look on my phone right now and
(12:56):
see where I am.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Phone and smart watches wild.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
It also talks to my pump, so to like, if
I start going high, my pump will give me micro
doses of insulin, and if my blood sugar starts to
go low, it'll suspend my pump.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
So they also talk to each other.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
And the other advancement is that you know, the education
of diabetes. You have teachers who are understanding diabetes more
and more and caregivers and things like that so.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Very much so that helps. It helps tremendously.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
And just a shout out to our healthcare community here
in western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is one of the leading regions in.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Diabetes education diabetes research.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
One of the first diabetes educators in the country came
out of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. So I
don't know if people realize how lucky we are to
live in the healthcare region that we do, but we
are a diabetes powerhouse here in Pittsburgh, and just the
education and the curriculum and what comes out of Pittsburgh
truly sets the tone around the country.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Do we have a higher level of diabetes in a community?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
We're about on par with maybe slightly higher than average.
So it's about ten percent of the population is diagnosed
and living with diabetes.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Pittsburgh, Western PEP.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
We have accused of having a healthy lifestyle.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
I think, you know, yeah, yeah, I mean we put
fries on our on our salads with the.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Ultimate Pittsburgh joke.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
So I can't say we're the pinnacle of health per se.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
But we're not. We're not too too far off the average.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Okay. Now, when it comes to the Step Out Walk,
which is coming up on the thirteenth, and you can
get more information by googling Step Out Diabetes Pittsburgh, you'll
find information. So when it comes to your walk, how
how do we rank as far as other cities are concerned?
Speaker 2 (14:47):
They're the biggest?
Speaker 1 (14:48):
What?
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (14:49):
For real?
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Why?
Speaker 3 (14:51):
I don't know if you set me up on that one,
but I'm happy to answer we are the biggest and
we're the best. Why I think because I honestly think
it's just because of the community. Well, first of all,
I had to give my team a shout out I
have an incredible group of women that I work with. Secondly,
I think that Pittsburgh likes to see Pittsburgh win. Pittsburgh
likes to lift each other up, and there's a magic
(15:13):
in the community in this region.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
And I think that when my team and I were.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Thinking about how to change the format of the walk,
like I mentioned earlier, we're going to panc Park, and
the Pirates and p and C Park have been like
tremendous to work with. I was like, you know, if
I'm being honest with myself and with the listeners, like
you could go to a different nonprofit walk every weekend.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
There's probably six you could choose from.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
So I just started asking myself, like, what can we
do to make this feel even more fun and more
lively and more energetic. And so that was part of
the reason that we moved from you know, your traditional
open lawn format to the baseball stadium. And so we're
in the river Walk, which is in the in the
outfield of PNC Park, which is beautiful and redone, and
we have live music and it's just it feels fun
(15:56):
and it feels celebratory. And so I think between kind
of changing the tone of the event and trying to
push the needle and make it just fee little bit
more fun versus traditional and our sponsors. Like I said,
I think once again, I just think Pittsburgh wants to
see Pittsburgh do well.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
And a lot of these companies understand that.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
And when you think about diabetes, it's extremely costly. So
it's not something I've touched upon yet, but you know,
when I talk about leaders of large organizations, you know,
diabetes is a cost driver. You know, it costs a
lot to an individual, to your family, and to these organizations,
and so you know, if we can get healthier, it's
(16:33):
it hopefully we'll save on the bottom line from healthcare standpoint.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
And you got three really respected organizations helping G and
C yeah checking out the c UPMC. All respected organizations
here in.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Town totally, and it's fun because they're each from different
industries too, you know, they're each kind of in there,
but they all want people to live their healthiest life
and that's what we're after as well.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
You know, I have other questions about diabetes, but let's
talk about the walk. What are some of the things
that goes on at the TAME.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Yeah, so it starts at eight thirty and like I said,
it's it's in that new Riverwalk like outfield area of
PNC Park, and so we have tons of vendors on sites.
So what I wanted it to be is just kind
of a one stop shop for people living with this
disease to leave with so much information. So, you know,
we have Drinego on site and they usually do vaccinations.
(17:24):
We have multiple pharmaceutical vendors who make products like the
CGM I was referring to, or insulin pumps or you know,
so we we have I'm trying to really push it
so that we have resources there. So if you're living
with this disease and you were just recently diagnosed and
you're feeling overwhelmed, or maybe you're in a pre diabetic
state and you just don't even kind of know where
to begin, use this as just a doorway to at
(17:47):
least start somewhere and learn more about the ADA and
how we can support you in your journey and also
the other resources that are available here in western Pennsylvania.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
You mentioned your team, Yeah, so tell me about your Yeah,
so we are.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
We are a small but mighty team of four women,
and so we run the American Diabetes Association market here
in Western Pennsylvania. And so you know, my team and
I manage relationships with our recently diagnosed families or helping
to execute our Camp Courage that we do with families
with Type one. We do programs in the school system
(18:22):
called Project Power, so we work with physical education teachers
to help teach them curriculum around diabetes and healthy eating
to try to get ahead of diagnosis at a young age.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
That's more in the Type two sector.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
So my team and I really manage the market, you know,
Soup to Nuts and also working with our sponsors like
we've mentioned, so they're just tremendous and very intelligent women.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
What can what would you want our community to do
or understand about diabetes? And of course you would want
them to participate in the in the walk, But what
is the one thing you really want Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh
community to know about your organization?
Speaker 2 (19:01):
If you have it, own it and take action now.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Because what people don't realize is that when the complications
of diabetes begin to surface, it's already too late. But
the problem is it's not like upon diagnosis, it's like
flipping a light switch. It could take five to ten
years for severe complications to occur.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
So when you think about having high.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Sugar levels in your blood, it is reaking havoc on
everything in your body, so from the little capillaries in
your eyes to the tips of your toes. So if
you're not managing it and you have all this excess
glucose in your bloodstream, the complications occur because the cells
are carrying this excess sugar, they can't get to where
(19:48):
they need to go. So when you're hearing about you
know the complications are severe, it's it's blindness, it's amputation,
it's organ failure. So I think what happens is because
it takes so long for those complications to develop, people
are more reactive to diabetes and proactive. So if there's
(20:11):
anything I want people to know, like it's okay if
you have this disease, Like please don't punish yourself or
guilt yourself that you did something wrong, like you did
not just own where you're at in your health journey
right now, And I just beg people to get ahead
and take control of this disease early and not wait
for things to get too bad.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Now, we were joking about the Pittsburgh diet. But the
you know, United States in general hold out we have
a terrible diet. Yes we do, in general, Yes we do.
And so you talked about education and starting early. What
are some things you want people to know about that?
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (20:47):
I mean even if so when we talk about people
who are in a pre diabetic state, so you know,
if you've gone to your physician and you've gotten I
believe it's an A one C up to six point four,
you're still you're considered in a pre diabetic state. So
when you start creeping like five point seven to six
point four on an A one C, you might be
in a pre diabetic state. You can do something that
(21:08):
does not mean that you are destined to have type
two diabetes. We say, if you simply lose I know,
look easier said than done. I've struggled with my weight
my whole life. But if you could lose ten percent
of your body weight, it will reduce your risk of
developing type two diabetes by fifty percent. So just start small,
like the ADA says, thirty minutes of exercise a day,
(21:30):
thirty minutes. Just carve out thirty minutes, go for a walk.
Try to make small changes in your diet. Can you
cut three hundred calories a day? Like, just small changes,
Like obviously like a lot of the healthy eating that
we all should know, but it's hard to practice right,
Like how do you build your plate? Like fifty percent
should be protein, twenty five percent healthy starches, twenty five
(21:51):
percent a healthy vegetable. So just small, mindful shifts. You
don't have to overhaul your entire life. I think that's
when people get overwhelmed. Well, small changes, Yeah, small changes
do have an effect. But you know, you know a
lot of people are you know it's you know, oh
that doughnut looks good. Oh, you know you're putting out
chips at that at work, or somebody's buying this, and
(22:12):
and that's tough. But just imagine when you get diagnosed
with diabetes. You know this as a type one yes person,
your life kind of revolves around managing your blood sugar.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Twenty four to seven.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
It never stops that and that also can lead to
a lot of burnout. So if anyone listening has diabetes
type one or type two, it can't it never stop.
So there is a lot of burnout that can come
with a disease.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
So once you get the diagnosis. You know that it's
it's you're.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
In it for the long haul. You are, you're in
it for the long haul.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Now is it for somebody who has type two? Is
it possible to reverse? And and and.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
Yes, yes, yes, I'll say yes with an asterisk and
now an under chronologist we'll be able to explain this
much better.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Than me, but I'll give it my best shot.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
So, yes, there are things that you can do to
either get off of medications that you might be taking.
So you know, a lot of people are on very
common drugs such as met Foreman glp ones, which are
like the ozembics and the w goovi's that we all
hear about so much in the market. So a lot
of that will come from the lifestyle changes. So if
you are able to lose that weight, if you are
(23:23):
able to make you know a little bit more better
management from a lifestyle standpoint with type two, like you clarified,
like type two not type one, I will always be
on insulin type two diabetes. You can scale it back
the medications that you're on, maybe go off of insulin
if you're a Type two that's taking injections. So yes,
there are changes that you can make to try to
help control it that way.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Can you speak of the role of community partnership and
advancing some of your goals. Can you tell how Pittsburgh
obviously has embraced your organization, Why is that and how
is that how's that played into your advantage?
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Totally? I think that.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
I think that diabetes is just too prevalent for us
not to do something together. And that's kind of the
message that you know, I've been saying to the many
executives that we've been working with. I mean, as it stands,
one in three people have diabetes.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
In this country.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Fifty percent of Americans are at risk or will develop
diabetes in their lifetime if we don't start doing something now.
And so I do think that what I'm trying to
do is create a greater sense of urgency if you
haven't since that yet at the individual level and the
progression of the disease, but on a greater level, if
we don't all do something together, Like I said, fifty
(24:46):
percent of American adults will be living with diabetes and
we just I just can't imagine a life like that.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
And so I think that people know it.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
I think we're to the point with this disease where
it's either a first degree or second degree of separation.
And I think that the ADA does tremendous work. We
really are the authority on diabetes care. And so you know,
it takes all of us to work together. You know,
for profit needs nonprofit and the nonprofit needs the for
profit sector.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
It's a symbiotic relationship.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
And so you know, I so appreciate the organizations that
have chosen to lean in and help us because none
of us can do it alone and we won't be
able to.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
You briefly mentioned this in our conversation, but how costly diabetes.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Very very tell us more.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
One in four healthcare dollars are spent on diabetes. I
think it's and I hopefully I won't misquote this, but
it's well into I think it's around three to four
hundred billion dollars annually is spent on diabetes because there's
so much that's tied to it.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
So you know, as I.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Said, it's a chronic disease, it's it's chronic. You will
have this for the rest of your life, yes one
type two again, that is, you may get it in
your thirties and forties, fifties, you have to you have
to manage that for.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
Correct correct and like I said, all the complications that
could come of it. That's frequent trips to the hospital,
you know, like you said, I am on I get
an insulin delivered monthly, I have pump supplies, I have
continuous glucose monitor supplies, and I'm I'm grateful that I'm
in a position that I can afford it, and my
family was always able to afford it. But there's an
(26:18):
affordability factor with this disease too, that the ADA really
advocates for. I mean, at one point, the cost of
insulince since it was patented has risen over three hundred percent.
You know, when insulin was patented one hundred years ago,
they sold the patent for a dollar. Sometimes people are
having to pay three, four or five hundred dollars out
of pocket for.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
A vial of insulin.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
So when you hear about a lot of this being spoken,
you know at the federal state, you know level from
the government standpoint, that's why insulin has brought up so
much because the cost has just become astronomical. And so
that's a huge part of what we advocate for. And
advocacy is one of the pillars at the ADA is
that we have to make this disease manageable from an
(26:59):
affordability state point, because it's a burden, Like I was
saying earlier, it's a burden on families, it's a burden
on healthcare systems, to burden on our corporations, and.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
So we have to fit.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
That's way above my pay grade, but we do have
to figure out the affordability is just huge with it.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
What can we do as a community to reduce the
stigma surrounding diabetes and encouraging people to seek early diagnosis
and treatment.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I wish I had like the perfect answer for that.
I think that.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
I'm not sure how diabetes became the butt of so
many jokes, but it has.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Right, So you see.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
Someone eating a donut, You're like, oh, you're gonna get diabetes, right, Like,
there's so many jokes, and I don't really know how
that came to be, but it just did. I think
that that gentleman on the horse with the mustache like
probably didn't help.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
I can't even think of his name right now.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
You ran into Billy Gardilla, Yeah, and he.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Brought it up right off that. I was like, see,
this is what I'm talking about. I just think that,
like I said, I think we have to we just
had to remove the shame.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
And I think that, you know, societies speaking, we're so
quick to like judge people in today's day need and it's.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Like, let's just just let's all.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
Just relax, right, Like, let's apport people where they are,
let's meet people where they are. Please do not put
extra shame on yourself if you got to this position
for one way or another, whether your grandmother had it,
maybe you're rail thin and you got diabetes, or maybe
you're struggling with you're waiting you got diabetes. It doesn't matter.
What matters is we have to embrace this disease for
what it is. We have to get healthier for the
sake of our communities and our families. And I'm in
(28:32):
the business of longevity. I just want people to live
their healthiest life for as long as they can.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
It's almost to the to the extent that a majority
of Americans are either pre diabetic diabetes. Yes they have it,
or they're going to get it, or they're going to
get it correct and guarantee there's somebody in their family
that doesn't.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Have this point.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Yes, it touches our lives almost on a daily basis.
All Right, So I've kept you in the in the
in the airchair way too long, and I have You've
been great and very educational a lot. I appreciate that.
But let's end by telling everybody what they need to
know about the walk.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Yes, yes, so please come out and join us. There
is no registration fee there, just please come and if
nothing more, celebrate and learn with us. Saturday, September thirteenth
at P and C Park eight thirty am.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
We'll be on the river Walk all afternoon. We're doing a.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Beautiful you know walk route down on the Riverfront trail
in Pittsburgh, and it's just it's a really fun day.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
Hopefully, I believe I'll be seeing you there.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
I'll be there. I'll be there. So how many how
many years have you done the walk? Oh?
Speaker 2 (29:32):
It's been years. It's been years.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
We took you know, like many nonprofits who took a
break with our events in the pandemic and kind of
rose back out of the ashes.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Which is when did you team up with P and
C Park and the Pirates.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
This is our second year. Okay, so it's like it's
it's been new and they've been lovely. So yeah, September thirteenth,
please come, learn, celebrate, share.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
We got to all do this together, all right.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
It's the twenty twenty five Step Out Walk in Pittsburgh.
It's on the River Walk at P and C Park
Saturday morning, September thirteenth. Just google step Out, diabetes dot
org and all that good stuff and sign up, or
at least if you want more information about the organization,
you can check that out. Yes, Chelsea, this has been
an absolute pleasure. Thank you so much for your to
Thank you for having me once again. If you want
(30:15):
more information, you can check out their website by googlingdiabetes
dot org. There's a great resource of all the information.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Can I give one other plug for another good resource
to help people. You can call one eight hundred diabetes
if you're struggling to afford your medication, if you're feeling overwhelmed,
if you have questions about diabetes. One eight hundred diabetes.
It's an incredible resources that the ADA has.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Chelsea Musual, executive director for Western PA and Eastern Ohio.
I should have added that at the beginning. The American
Diabetes Association, thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Thank you. This is lovely.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
This has been the CEOs you should know, podcasts showcasing
businesses that are driving our regional economy. Part of iHeartMedia's
commitment to the communities we serve. I'm Johnny Hartwell, thank
you so much for listening.
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