Community support played an important role in launching the service, according to executive director of the Hospital, Mr. Hume Martin. And the Bermuda Diabetic Association not only provided the Board with a $100,000 grant in 1989 for initial financing of this service, it also used its influence to secure approval of outpatient diabetes counselling as an approved insurance benefit.

"Patients at the centre must be referred by their doctor,'' said Mrs. Debbie Jones, head of the Diabetes Centre. "But they come because they want to, not because they are forced to,'' she said.

The Diabetes Centre is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Four different groups visit the centre three days a week. "The first hour of a course is spent in understanding diabetes,'' said Mrs. Jones. "We start by taking the patient through the body to show them how food is broken down. Then we explain what happens to a person if they have diabetes and what we can do to treat the disease.'' The centre shows a film to all patients when they join the programme about a small population in South America -- the Zunis. Diabetes there had no standing, but within 30 years, it became an epidemic.

And it was due to a major lifestyle change within the culture. The Zunis, who were once physically active, began using modern equipment and eating fatty fast foods after Western influences penetrated their civilisation.

"The film shows how a person's lifestyle is connected to diabetes,'' said Mrs. Jones. "And most people in Bermuda have diabetes because of unhealthy habits. We develop the rest of the programme on this basis and show patients how to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

"Once a person has the disease, they will always have it but we can control it,'' she added. "Wholesome food and exercise is the key.'' There are two types of diabetes. But 80 to 90 percent of people in Bermuda with the disease have Type 2 diabetes, which means they are non-insulin dependent. Their condition can be controlled by meal-planning and exercise and sometimes medication, according to Mrs. Jones.

Aside from meal-planning and exercise regimens, diabetics are taught how to inject their own insulin. And the centre tests patients regularly for blood sugar levels.

The newest addition to the Diabetes Education Centre is the Body, a teaching model of a human body designed by an Australian doctor. "The physician thought if people can understand how their bodies work, it would be easier for them to change their unhealthy habits,'' said Mrs. Jones.

"Boehringer Mannheim began making the Body and distributing them around the world. And they donated one to the Diabetes Centre almost two years ago.

"Since we've implemented the body in our education programme, the success of patients who are able to change their lifestyles is unbelievable. And we have virtually no dropout rate,'' said Mrs. Jones.

After patients have completed the twelve hour programme, they return for refresher courses. "We take patients to a grocery store and teach them how to read food labels and make good choices,'' said Mrs. Jones. "We also look at blood sugar levels and answer patients' questions.

"And the centre keeps patients updated with regular newsletters as to what we're planning,'' she added. "For instance, we're starting a walking club in May.''