Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2017

179 www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.BestofMP.com feature decided to do all they could to bring the camera systems to people who really needed the help. “If we catch it early,” he explained, “we can provide treatment that cuts the loss of eyesight by half.” Unfortunately, there’s a gap between access to qualified diabetic retinopathy screening and the number of patients with diabetes, and that gap will only rise in the years to come. “As physicians, we realize there is a certain window of opportunity where permanent loss of vision can still be avoided in the natural course of diabetic retinopathy,” Dr. Say said. “However, the lack of access to qualified care leads to either absent or inadequate care until permanent loss of vision occurs, even with treatment. As a retina surgeon, I wanted to be involved in this project because we can make more of a difference when we identify early retinopathy rather than operate on a late-stage proliferative disease.” While genetics can certainly play a role, a person’s lifestyle often has more to do with the development of diabetes. In South Carolina, the problem is particularly pressing. Most of the state’s counties lie in what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls the “Diabetes Belt,” where 10.5 percent of people have diabetes, compared with only 8.4 percent elsewhere. Consequently, the residents of South Carolina are at a significantly higher risk for developing diabetic eye disease. Despite the statistics, only about a half of these at-risk patients undergo adequate retinopathy screening, leaving most patients undiagnosed until the later stages of the disease, when vision loss is often irreversible. “There’s a large unmet need for screening for this very serious complication of diabetes,” Dr. Blice said. “The new technology available represents an opportunity to potentially meet that need at the point of primary care.” The new cameras will be placed in several clinics around the Charleston area and at MUSC. “The quality of photography combined with the relative ease of acquisition makes the time right to try and implement this pilot program,” Dr. Blice said. With this kind of early detection and treatment made more accessible for those in need, it’s possible for a person with diabetes to live a full and healthy life. “This is a disease that affects so many people,” Dr. Magrath said. “Many people don’t even know they have it, and, by the time they show symptoms, some level of damage has already occurred. We’re trying to do all we can to lower that risk.” Franny and Pom Pom, inquisitive to a fault, learn a lot from Nana (Franny’s grandmother), so plump and loving that she reminds you of hot apple pie on a cold winter’s day, and Rue Rue (Pom Pom’s grandmother), so slender and refreshing that she reminds you of a tall, cool smoothie on a hot summer day. Set in King’s Valley, the story is all the more fun because of their friends, Oscar the Wise, Old Owl and Tedo, the Helpful Skunk. “The journey for us from writing the stories to publishing this book was a very easy transition,” said Smith. “If it weren’t for Moondog Animation Studio, we wouldn’t have met Jennifer Tubbiolo, co-owner of Relevant Pages Press in Charleston, who has overseen the entire project. She has been outstanding.” Cyril Jedor and Andy Barry, illustrators with Moondog Animation Studio in Mount Pleasant, brought the fascinating worlds and the beloved characters to life. Most recently, another South Carolina resident, Irene Rose, released the series’ theme song, “Fruit of the Spirit Conga.” “We love joining with God’s heart to be a vessel to make this a reality,” said Smith. “Our prayers and heart’s desire is for our fruit tree characters, Franny Fig and Pom Pom Pomegranate, to reach children all over the world to share this great news.” You can purchase “Fruit That Lasts” individually or as a five-book package on Amazon or locally at the Seacoast Church bookstore in Mount Pleasant. Learn more about the book series at www.fruitthatlasts.com . continued from page 177... DetectingDiabetes Early