A Partnership for Wellness

Jorge Pimentel’s mother suffered from diabetes so severe she had to have her legs amputated. So when Jorge (above, right) was diagnosed with the disease himself two years ago, he sought help from the Latino Diabetes Education Program.

“When you have something that scares you, you want to do things right,” says the 73-year-old Allentown resident. Pimentel and his wife, Elida, who also has diabetes, learned in Spanish how to test and control their blood sugar from their teacher or “promotora,” Alicia Rivera (above, left). As a Latina with diabetes, she understands the culture and how to manage the disease— prevalent among Latinos.

Over the past year, Rivera has helped more than 180 people through the program, which is co-sponsored by Lehigh Valley Hospital and Latinos for Healthy Communities. This partnership is a national model in educating Latinos about diabetes.

The program gives Pimentel better health and new hope. He walks regularly and has lost 55 pounds. “Now I can say I am diabetic, but I know it won’t hurt me,” he says. “I’ve learned how to control it.”

Investing Together for Better Smiles

For more than 70 years, Lehigh Valley Hospital’s department of dental medicine has invested in dental health for people in need. That commitment includes Give Kids a Smile day, where students like Tejas, 8, of Allentown (with Jennifer Risley, D.M.D.) receive free screenings. This year, our dental clinics at our 17th and Chew and Muhlenberg campuses cared for more than 9,800 children and adults.

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