WESLACO, Texas - Unidos Contra La Diabetes held a mini symposium and health fair at South Texas College’s Mid-Valley Campus titled “Power in Prevention.”
The group brought together health care professionals, community organizers and elected officials to speak about the debilitating disease that is so prevalent in the Rio Grande Valley.
Through three rounds of breakout sessions, attendees were able to sit in on specific lectures related to type 2 diabetes prevention and awareness, led by experts in the field. At the coinciding health fair, booths were set up for guests to pick up literature and other resources, receive health screenings as well as participate in a mini-Zumba class. The Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley also distributed fresh produce.
Moises Arjona, director of Unidos Contra La Diabetes, said educating the public is key in the fight against diabetes, even amongst those who have it.
“The Rio Grande Valley is known for [being] the highest in obesity, the highest in diabetes and now is being known for the highest in foot amputations,” said Arjona. “The concern is a lot of folks … wait ’til the end, so we hear sometimes folks saying ‘okay, yeah, I have type 2 diabetes but tell me when it’s really serious.’ Well, there’s no levels.”
He added, “No one thinks about dialysis. No one thinks about the vision loss. No one thinks about foot amputations.”
Since its establishment in 2014, UCD’s goal has been to reduce diabetes in the Valley by 10% before 2030. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that around 11.6% of the U.S. population is diabetic, with type 2 diabetes accounting for over 90% of the diagnoses. For the Valley, estimations vary between 25% to 30%, with one 2025 study placing the number as high as 43.95% of the population.
Unfortunately, progress has been slow-going, with Arjona announcing only a 0.5% decrease in his introductory remarks. Despite the bleak outlook, UCD is pushing forward, implementing different strategies that include bringing in more partners, culturally-sensitive education and two-generation approaches.
“One thing that we’ve taken a big approach [with] this year was the 2Gen approach – not just the patient, but everybody in the household,” said Arjona. “We have grandma in the household. We have dad, … brothers and sisters. Sometimes we have three or four generations living in a home. Let’s get them all together and teach them.”
Giving a few examples of cultural behaviors, Arjona said it is common in Hispanic households for grandmothers to push food on younger family members, even if they have already eaten. It is an expression of love, and younger members feel guilty if they refuse to partake. He also said that Hispanic males do not typically check in with their own bodies, noting that wives are usually the first to notice diabetic signs in their husbands before the husbands themselves. Still, Arjona says one of the biggest barriers is the “susto,” or fear, surrounding doctor visits. For many, it is better to live in ignorance than to have their fears confirmed about a possible diagnosis.
Arjona says UCD is working hard to remove this “susto,” but Medicare cuts and the expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies, set for the end of the year, could undermine their efforts.
“We are one of the most underserved communities in the whole state, but the Rio Grande Valley – folks never had insurance,” said Arjona. “So, now that they have insurance, to take it away from them because the subsidies aren’t able to help them offset the cost is really scary … The subsidies are actually helping people. They go to the doctor. They get checked.”
For now, UCD will continue to focus on education and outreach throughout the Valley. Arjona encourages residents to take control of their health and join them for the next fair, scheduled for American Diabetes Alert Day, March 24, in Willacy County.
For more information about UCD, visit their website here.
