Since Roxanne Segobia was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 14 years ago, she has devoted herself to managing the disease, watching her diet, monitoring her blood-sugar levels, and injecting insulin when necessary.

But the 37-year-old accountant-clerk says she still finds its difficult to manage her blood-sugar level for one main reason: a lack of exercise.

With a demanding but sedentary job, Segobia says it's a struggle to maintain a regular exercise regimen — a key element in battling the disease — despite years of trying.

"I get enthusiastic about it at first and then lose interest," she said. "My job is so mentally draining that I have no energy left, no motivation to exercise."

On Friday, Segobia stopped by Natividad Medical Center's brand-new Diabetes Education Center, which held a ribbon-cutting and open house in the Barnet J. Segal Outpatient Services Building. She said she was there to check out the new center's group diabetes management classes and free support groups, which she hoped would help her find the inspiration to stay physically active.

"I need to find something I can stick to," Segobia said. "Something different, something interesting."

Segobia is one of nearly 26,600 people living with a diagnosed case of diabetes in Monterey County, said Diabetes Center coordinator Chesney Hoagland-Fuchs, who said that there are probably twice that many people living with undiagnosed diabetes.

Nearly 20 million people in the United States have diabetes, which is the leading cause of blindness, kidney disease and amputations, and a major cause of heart disease and stroke.

About 90 percent of all diabetes cases are Type 2, she said. Type 2 diabetes can result from a number of factors, often in combination, such as obesity, physical inactivity and genetic predisposition.

As a Latina, Segobia likely had a genetic predisposition toward contracting diabetes, as do many people with indigenous lineages, said Hoagland-Fuchs. Low-income and minority populations in general are at a higher risk of contracting the disease.

Hoagland-Fuchs said that's a major reason why she moved to Salinas from the Texas Diabetes Institute in San Antonio: to take over Natividad's Outpatient Diabetes Education Program two years ago.

The registered nurse and certified diabetes educator said she jumped at the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people, many of whom work in the fields of the Salinas Valley to help feed the nation, who are more susceptible to the disease.

"We have all these hardworking people with a high-risk factor (for diabetes), who pick our fruits and vegetables," she said. "I'm a big fan of theirs. And this is an epidemic that's just beginning to crest."

Hoagland-Fuchs said studies indicate that the number of cases of diabetes will double in the next 40 years among the general population, while Latinos are expected to experience a 150 percent increase in the number of people contracting the disease.

As Americans of all heritages indulge in poor diet habits, work more and exercise less, the incidence of obesity and diabetes are on the rise.

Hoagland-Fuchs said the new Diabetes Education Center is part of the effort to change that worrisome trend.

Funded through a $26,000 grant from the Steps for a Healthier Salinas program, the education center will start with a single, 20-patient class designed to offer instruction in diabetes management for those who already have the disease. The center is linked to the Central Coast Alliance for Health, which will serve as the primary referral source.

Hoagland-Fuchs said the center will offer free support groups.

On Wednesday, in celebration of World Diabetes Day, the center will offer free group classes on diabetes management taught by Hoagland-Fuchs.

During Friday's open house, the center featured a variety of displays, including healthful eating guides and an interactive exhibit on damage diabetes does to internal organs.

There were demonstrations of diabetes products, such as a glucose monitor that produces graphs measuring blood sugar levels, an insulin pump that monitors blood sugar and dispenses patient-specific insulin doses, a talking glucometer for the blind and visually impaired, and a Tanita body mass index machine.

Robin Whiteley of the Blind and Visually Impaired Center of Monterey County said the center's outreach efforts will help educate people about the risks associated with diabetes.

"This clinic is going to help a lot of people because it takes on the front end (of the disease)," Whitely said.

Heather Jacobs, who has been living with diabetes for nearly 30 years and attended Friday's opening, said she hopes the center will help spur a trend.

"We've been approaching diabetes from a purely medical standpoint, and there has been virtually no spending in prevention," Jacobs said. "Until we begin to address the systemic issues, it's only going to get worse."

Smiles to Natividad, scowls to nonvoters

• Smiles to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, which celebrated Friday the opening of its new Diabetes Education Center. The center will provide nutrition information, support groups and the latest medical technology for diabetes screening and care.
• Scowls to low voter turnout. In Tuesday's election, only 33,714 voters - or 25.9 percent of Monterey County's 130,218 registered voters - cast ballots. No, school board and special district elections don't stir as much interest as gubernatorial or presidential races, but we certainly can do better than this.
• Smiles to the local Salvation Army, which launched its annual Red Kettle Challenge fundraising campaign this past week with a goal of collecting $180,000 to pay for its after-school and senior programs, as well as its dinners for seniors and those in need. You, too, can help. To donate clothing, food or money or to volunteer as a bell-ringer for the Salinas Salvation Army, call volunteer coordinator Karen Ostby at 443-9655.
• Scowls to highway danger. Beginning Nov. 23, Monterey-Salinas Transit will scrap 12 stops along Highway 101 in Prunedale, citing a safety study that found it's too dangerous to keep the stops in place. Earlier this year, a state-mandated speed limit adjustment raised the Highway 101 limit along the corridor to 60 mph, undoubtedly exacerbating the danger for pedestrians trying to cross the highway to catch the Line 29 bus. While MST is justified in its decision, the fact that it's necessary warrants a scowl.

Natividad Medical Center in Salinas on Friday celebrated the opening of its Diabetes Education Center.

The opening of the center, two years in the making, is the first step toward the hospital earning accreditation from the American Diabetes Association to provide education and specialized treatment to people throughout Monterey County.

Natividad expects to receive the accreditation next year.

Mary Schapper, the nurse manager who oversees the center, said the center provides nutrition information, support groups and the latest medical technology for diabetes screening and care.

The opening celebration featured a display of insulin pumps and blood sugar sensors, demonstrations from the Blind and Visually Impaired Center on equipment for diabetics and free body-fat analysis.