By Emily Webb

EVMS Director of Corporate

and Foundation Relations

 

Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) established the EVMS Strelitz Diabetes Center of Western Tidewater. It focuses on the detection, prevention and management of diabetes and its most common complications: foot, eye and kidney diseases.

The Center, located in the Sentara Obici Hospital Medical Office Building, opened in January. It provides care to both uninsured and insured patients residing in Western Tidewater and Gates County, North Carolina.

EVMS opened the Strelitz Diabetes Center in Norfolk 25 years ago to address the growing prevalence of diabetes. “Hampton Roads is a hotbed for the disease that is now at epidemic proportions worldwide,” said David Lieb, MD, EVMS Strelitz Diabetes Center of Western Tidewater Program Director.

“Many of the services available at the Strelitz Diabetes Center in Norfolk will be offered to Western Tidewater patients,” Dr. Lieb added.

“We are grateful to Obici Healthcare Foundation for partnering with EVMS to serve the people of Western Tidewater,” says Richard Homan, MD, EVMS President, Provost and Dean of the School of Medicine. “Reducing the rate of diabetes in this community is of paramount importance to us.”

“The Board of Directors of Obici Healthcare Foundation has focused on diabetes and its effects on the community for more than five years, says Gina Pitrone,” the Foundation’s Executive Director.

“This opportunity to have the EVMS team in Suffolk is an indicator that there is hope for the many people who have serious complications from this disease and don’t have the resources to understand or manage its effects,” Ms. Pitrone said, “We feel so fortunate to have EVMS diabetes experts to provide hope and care to our diabetic and pre-diabetic community. We expect great relationships and outcomes to develop as a result of this new opportunity.”

The EVMS Strelitz Diabetes Center of Western Tidewater is open to all patients diagnosed with or at risk of developing diabetes. In addition to ongoing care and lifestyle education and coaching from certified diabetes educators, the Center will offer screenings for the regular evaluation of diabetes-related foot, nerve and eye diseases.

Appointments may be made by calling 757-446-5908 and asking for the Western Tidewater location.