Wound Care President Becomes Chair of Local Chapter of American Diabetes Association

Paula Kreissler, President of the Wound Care Clinic -ESU, is the newest Chairperson of the Leadership Council for the Savannah Chapter of the American Diabetes Association. Kreissler has an extensive fundraising background and plans to use her experience to help increase funds and visibility of the organization in Savannah.

Wound Care President Becomes Chair of Local Chapter of American Diabetes Association

Paula Kreissler, President of the Wound Care Clinic -ESU, is the newest Chairperson of the Leadership Council for the Savannah Chapter of the American Diabetes Association. Kreissler has an extensive fundraising background and plans to use her experience to help increase funds and visibility of the organization in Savannah. The position with the ADA is a natural fit for Kreissler since many patients at the Wound Care Clinic are diabetic.

The staff at the Wound Care Clinic-ESU is working to educate the public about diabetes which is the 5th leading cause of death by disease in the United States. Diabetes claims over 225,000 lives a year. In Georgia, there are 750,000 people who have diabetes. Approximately 249,000 diabetics don't even know they have the disease. The most common form of diabetes, Type 2, can be prevented by maintaining a proper weight, improving nutritional intake, and increasing physical activity. A patient who is diabetic often develops a loss of sensation (neuropathy) to the feet and legs. With the lack of sensation, the patient often ignores a wound until it worsens or becomes infected. The diabetic disease process slows the healing process of these wounds and the patient develops a chronic diabetic ulcer. If the wound does not heal, the wound can lead to amputation. Treatments at the Wound Care Clinic-ESU often prevent amputations.

Paula Kreissler has already worked as a volunteer with the Savannah chapter of the ADA. She was one of the sponsors for Savannah's Walk for Diabetes on November 4th. The Wound Care Clinic - ESU team was the number two team, raising over $4000 for the ADA. She's also traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby for stem cell legislation to help find a cure for diabetes. Kreissler plans to work with existing fundraisers like Kiss a Pig, and add others to help increase the revenue and help find a cure for diabetes. She also plans to participate in the Diabetes University on January 27, 2007, sponsored by the Savannah Chapter of the American Diabetes Association. This is a half-day education program with sessions and exhibits for everyone affected by diabetes. The theme is "Educate Yourself — Improve Your Health."

Before working with ADA, Paula Kreissler spent a lot of time and energy with NO/AIDS Task Force in New Orleans, LA to reduce the spread of HIV infection, and provide services for HIV-affected individuals. She also volunteered with the United Way and March of Dimes.

The Wound Care Clinic-ESU sees physician-referral patients and accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance, as well as treating those from the underserved or uninsured populations. The facility is staffed with medical professionals headed up by Family Nurse Practitioner, Melanie Finocchiaro, APRN, BC with Debbie Hagins, MD as collaborative physician. The Wound Care Clinic - ESU, Inc. is located at 815 East 68th Street, Suite 2, in Savannah, Georgia 31405. It offers standard treatment for wound care along with electrical stimulation and ultrasound as additional therapies to enhance wound closure.

For more information log onto www.woundcareclinic.net or call (912)691-2614.