November is Diabetes Awareness Month, the perfect time to celebrate one of the programs that makes The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio unique: CHEF.
The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio is home to the nation’s first teaching kitchen located within a freestanding hospital: the Culinary Health Education for Families (CHEF) program.
CHEF teaches children and families practical nutrition and basic cooking skills with the long-term goal of motivating individuals and communities to adopt and sustain healthier eating habits.
Chefs and dietitians work seamlessly with Children’s Hospital physicians to tackle a variety of health issues, including obesity and diabetes. Physicians and other medical providers can refer their patients to CHEF. Classes are offered for children and their families at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio campus, where families have the opportunity to learn the CHEF Recipe for Life: Cook well, eat well, live well.
Nutrition and physical activity are important parts of a healthy lifestyle when you have diabetes. Along with other benefits, following a healthy meal plan and being active can help you keep your blood glucose level, also called blood sugar, in your target range.
Meet Coy, who was featured in the 2019 San Antonio Police Department Calendar benefiting The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. He diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2018.The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. But in most people with type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system — which normally fights harmful bacteria and viruses — mistakenly destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Genetics and environmental factors appear to play a role in this process. Children have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes if they are overweight or have obesity, have a family history of diabetes, or are not active.
After Coy’s mom noticed an increase in thirst and uncontrollable urination, he was taken to his pediatrician who referred them to The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. Blood and urine tests confirmed Coy’s blood sugar was well in the 800’s and he was moved into the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Coy and his family spent five days in the hospital learning as much as possible about type 1 diabetes, before returning home to untangle their “new-normal”.
A little over a year has passed since his diagnosis, and as you can see, Coy is a healthy happy seven-year-old. His health is managed primarily by an insulin pump, a balanced and well-monitored diet, and by his parents, Carmen and Rob, who make sure he stays as active as possible. Coy loves yogurt as a sweet treat when he needs a little pick-me-up, swimming with his sister, and he will be signing up for his first flag football team this January.
Because of you, programs like CHEF are able to provide children and families with not only education, but lessons on how to better their overall well-being.
To donate, please visit ChildrensHospitalSAFoundation.org.
CHRISTUS Children's Foundation 
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