Mollie Tracy joined the Oneida Indian Nation this past March (2017) as its Diabetes Program Coordinator.
“My goal in serving as the diabetes program coordinator is to educate patients who are pre-diabetic and diabetic about this disease and how to treat it by providing different programs and services,” she said. “My mission is also to help patients understand that even though you may be diabetic you can still lead a fun, healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.”
Mollie chose to work at Oneida Indian Nation because it allows her the opportunity to help improve patient’s health, when it matters most. “There is no better feeling than when a patient tells me that they learned a lot after our session or when they accomplish their goals that were set in one of our previous sessions. I feel that in working here with the nation, I am encouraged to be creative, while working in a supportive environment that makes me feel valued as an important member of the team. Oneida Indian Nation has allowed me to become empowered and has also pushed me to grow as a professional, and for that I am truly thankful,” she said.
American Indians are more susceptible to diabetes, but Mollie says that doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to be diabetic. There are risk factors that can be controlled such as obesity. Maintaining a healthy weight through a healthy diet and being physically active can decrease the risk of becoming diabetic.
“Some of the signs of diabetes are unexplained weight loss, excessive thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, fatigue, blurred vision, and even cuts or infections that take a long time to heal. If you have any of these signs or symptoms, it’s a good idea to contact your doctor to be evaluated,” said Mollie, who worked as a registered dietician at Iroquois Nursing Home and at Loretto. She also has a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from SUNY Oneonta.
