Bryan Noon Lions Club Donates to St. Joseph Health Pediatric Services

Bryan, TX, November 14, 2019 - St. Joseph Health Pediatric Services received a donation of 10 Jerry the Bear pediatric diabetic teaching dolls from the Bryan Noon Lions Club at a ceremony today at the St. Joseph Health Pediatric Bryan Clinic. The donation coincides with World Diabetes Day, a day aimed at increasing awareness of the effects of diabetes and the complications cause by the disease. The bears, which cost $60 each, will be used by pediatric patients with Type 1 Diabetes who require insulin injections of a pump. The bears help children learn to manage diabetes by counting carbohydrates, monitoring Jerry’s blood sugar, and administer insulin. The bears also comfort children who may be anxious or uneasy at their appointments. “Diabetes is a daunting task to manage, even for adults. When it comes to children, it is especially important to find ways to make them comfortable as we teach them about the complicated and intimidating process of balancing food intake with insulin administration, which is something they will have to do constantly,” said Maria Cristina Soriano, MD, pediatrician at St. Joseph Health Pediatric Bryan Clinic. “Jerry the Bear is an amazing tool that teaches children to manage their condition in a fun and interactive way. I am excited we will be able to incorporate these bears into our practice.” Type 1 Diabetes is a condition in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, which is necessary in transporting sugar and other nutrients to the body’s cells. Without insulin the sugar stays in the blood causing many serious issues ranging from dehydration and weight loss to blindness and poor circulation. About St. Joseph Health St. Joseph Health is comprised of five hospitals across the Brazos Valley, including Regional Hospital in Bryan-College Station and St. Joseph Health – College Station Hospital (formerly College Station Medical Center). St. Joseph Health is home to a Level II Major Trauma Center, the highest in the region. St. Joseph Health is an academic and clinical partner of Texas A&M Health Science Center. Together, the St. Joseph and Texas A&M Health Network includes over 100 employed primary care physicians, specialists and advanced practice clinicians. As an active member of the Brazos Valley, St. Joseph Health is a leader in providing compassionate care as well as addressing the overall health of the community. It is part of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) which recently joined with Dignity Health to form CommonSpirit Health, a new nonprofit national health system committed to advancing the health of all people and dedicated to serving the common good. Learn more about St. Joseph Health at CHIStJoseph.org. About Noon Lions Club Over the last 100 years, the kindness of Lions and Leos has multiplied across borders, oceans and continents. With over 1.4 million members, we now have an opportunity to truly change our world. Bryan Noon Lions have served our community since 1923. We are committed to making our community, and world, a better place by serving others. We perform service projects and give financially to support more than a dozen local charities. The global causes of the Lions Club are vision, hunger, childhood cancer, the environment and diabetes. [For more information, please contact Communications Manager Tracy Bates at 979-774-2158 or [email protected].]