Dominique Wilkins, an NBA Hall of Fame member, former Atlanta Hawks star, and Dr. P. Phillips Y member shared his inspiring journey of living with Type 2 Diabetes with members of the community on Tuesday, June 30, 2015, at 6:30 p.m. at the Dr. P. Phillips YMCA.
A year after Dominique Wilkins retired from playing professional basketball, he was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Wilkins said, "I trained for years, but when I retired I stopped working out consistently, but I continued to eat the same." After his diagnosis, Wilkins consulted with a team comprised of physicians, a diabetes educator, a nutritionist, and a fitness expert, and was able to lose 34 pounds in just two months.
"Diabetes isn't a curse, it can be a very manageable disease if you accept it," explained Wilkins. "Until we come up with a cure, the only cure is management."
In his presentation, Dominique highlighted three key components of a successful diabetes management plan: a balanced diet, regular exercise, and proper medication, as needed.
At the Y, we offer diabetes prevention-based care. In partnership with Novo Nordisk, a leading diabetes healthcare provider and educator, the YMCA of Central Florida offers diabetes prevention-based care through regular Diabetes Academy Classes. Led by experts from Novo Nordisk, the classes provide convenient tips for eating healthy, staying active to prevent the onset of diabetes.