Signed, sealed, delivered and it’s a wrap! On Tuesday 26^th November 2019, we completed the final session of our six-week chronic disease self-management course. This was our third and final workshop of the year. In April 2019, we held our first 6-week course, and this was followed by our second one in August 2019.

This final set of workshops began on 22^nd October with a class of 13, all-female and whose ages ranged from 25 to 60.

We had a dynamic group of ladies who were keen to learn, very willing to participate and share their health stories and experiences and support each other; this created a great atmosphere for learning and built a strong sense of camaraderie.

Over the six weeks, we covered a number of self-management techniques such as action-planning, physical activity, problem-solving, decision making, healthy eating, medication management, communication skills and more.

Through group work, brainstorming sessions and homework, the course material came to life for participants and they were able to apply what was learnt each week to their own personal situation.

During our weekly feedback sessions, it was very rewarding to hear the impact the self-management techniques had made in just a short space of time and to hear of how each topic caused participants to reflect on their lifestyle and make a commitment to make healthier choices.

As usual, the section on food labels caused quite a stir when participants realized the quantities of sugar, salt and fat in many of the items they consume and this was a bit of a wake-up call with participants making small changes like switching to skimmed milk and reducing their portion sizes.

Once again, we found facilitating this course to have been a very rewarding experience and look forward to hosting more of these courses next year.

We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended the course. We know it was a significant time commitment and we appreciate your dedication, time and your willingness to get involved.

From 2^nd April to 7th May 2019, we facilitated our first chronic disease self-management course in St Kitts giving us the opportunity to support members in our community who have been affected by non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Data has demonstrated that NCDs are becoming an epidemic in St Kitts and Nevis with 83% of deaths in the Federation being due to these conditions. To prevent these premature deaths and ensure that those living with an NCD can live well and have a good quality of life, support, information and guidance are required.

Providing patients with self-management skills is an effective and empowering way to ensure that those affected by a chronic disease can take control and improve their health and wellbeing. The Chronic Disease Self-Management Course helps us achieve this outcome.

The course that we facilitated is part of the Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP). This is an evidence-based prevention and health promotion program that addresses common issues faced by people with chronic conditions. The program has been implemented in 19 countries showing several benefits including:

• Improved wellbeing
• Improved health of participants
• Fewer hospitalisations
• Fewer days spent in hospital

Last year, we took part in the CDSMP training program which was delivered by the Ministry of Health in St Kitts. We were honoured to have come through the process and are now certified CDSMP facilitators allowing us to implement a free program of support for members in our community with an NCD.

Over the six-week period from the 2^nd April to 7^th May, we were delighted to guide our 18 participants through key self-management techniques. These techniques included action planning, problem-solving, decision making, medication management, communication skills, pain management, healthy eating, physical activity and more.

What we like about the course is that it is very interactive. Participants had the opportunity to take part in various activities, share their experiences, learn from one another and support each other. There was also homework every week to ensure that participants could start practising their self-management techniques immediately in their day-to-day life. It was wonderful to see and celebrate their successes every week.

We had a very engaged group who were a pleasure to work with. They got involved, asked questions and were keen to make the necessary changes in their lives to improve their health.

Facilitating this course has been one of the most rewarding experiences we have had in a long time. It was so touching to hear participants share how their lives have been impacted by the course. We look forward to seeing them continue to make great progress in taking control and more effectively managing their health.

A big thank you to everyone who attended and if you live in St Kitts and have been affected by a chronic illness like diabetes or high blood pressure and would like to attend a chronic disease self-management course, please do get in touch with us by email or call 765 8702

Our next 6-week course is due to start in July, all are welcome to attend.

“Thank you for the life lessons you have shared. Anyone who attends this course will never be the same again. The teachings will always be on one’s mind and heart. We must make a change! Eating, exercising and managing our lives better and being in control, this is an awesome feeling” – CDSMP Course Attendee