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Maryland woman lost 11 aunts and uncles to diabetes. Now, she's raising awareness to prevent chronic illnesses

Patricia Freeman's mom lost 11 siblings to diabetes, which can lead to heart disease. She has hypertension. Now, she encourages others to take charge of their health.
Credit: Patricia Freeman

LARGO, Md. — A local woman is raising awareness about some of the chronic illnesses that can lead to heart disease after losing 11 aunts and uncles to diabetes. 

Two years ago, Patricia Freeman's mother suffered a stroke after living with diabetes for many years. 

Her mom is doing well now, but the same chronic illnesses took the lives of her 11 brothers and sisters. It was a real wake-up call for Freeman.

"It makes me very aware," said Freeman, who exercises frequently and eats healthy.

It's not just the threat of diabetes that sparked lifestyle changes, but hypertension. When she first learned about it, she did not take it seriously. 

She attributed high blood pressure to stress and thought it would go away. 

Freeman visited a health expo and got her blood pressure drawn. The health professional advised her to go an see a doctor.,

"I was in denial," she said. "I totally said this is stress-related hypertension and I just ignored it for a very long time."

Freeman had headaches, but nothing really alarming. 

As the program chief of the Prince George's County Health and Wellness Division, she is now on a mission to help others throughout the county get control of their health. Currently, she's promoting programs for diabetes prevention and a workshop for people with chronic illnesses.

"Face it, face it head on.Take the bull by the horn, embrace lifestyle changes," Freeman advises.  

The first program is called Living Well: Take Charge of Your Health. It is a six-week program that offers a free workshop every Thursday from 2 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. at 1701 McCormick Drive beginning in March.

People with asthma, arthritis, COPD, cholesterol issues, diabetes, gout, lupus and any other chronic condition should register. Space is limited. Please call: 301.856.9405 

The second program is called Prevent T2 Diabetes. It is a free year-long lifestyle change program.

For more information or to register, click here.

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