YOU HELP ONE PERSON AND YOU SEE THE IMPACT

Susan Moala’eua is out and about in the mobile van being the icebreaker, educator, translator, and fierce healthcare advocate.

Susan Moala’eua spends most of her working week on the road, reaching into busy communities. When she’s not in the van, she books in van visits, fits in admin and finds time to share what she does with Diabetes Wellness.

Over the week, Susan and nurse Bandana Halka travel around the wider Tāmaki Makaurau region in the Diabetes NZ van. Together, they visit workplaces, churches, places of education, supermarkets, and more to test and educate the general public on diabetes, primarily type 2. Easily noticed, their sandwich board and banners invite folk to come over and chat about diabetes and find out what’s true and what is a misconception.

‘Everyone’s got a different understanding of what type 2 is. So many people just believe, “My family has it, I’m going to have it, so there’s no need to make changes.”’ Refusing to accept false inevitability as an excuse, Susan says that is the time when she starts talking, letting the public know that it doesn’t need to be that way. That there are things that people can change about their health.

Susan has noticed over the past year that she has been meeting a lot more members of the public with an array of health issues. This is due, in part, to the difficulties in making an appointment to see a GP. Reasons vary, with some folk not being able to find the time, not having the money, or not being able to get time off work. Susan explains, ‘They come and express their concerns to us. So this is kind of like a point of service for them, even though it may not be about diabetes. But for them it’s really just a relief because they are meeting a health provider who can help.’ She helps with what she can by first listening then directing them into the van to get their measurements taken.

‘I’m like the ice breaker. I get people’s attention and help them understand why it’s important for them to be tested.’

GETTING THAT HBA1C

The mobile van is fully set up for Bandana to take a finger-prick of blood and weight, height, and blood pressure measurements. Once the drop of blood has gone through the test, that’s when Susan can move in with education and answer any questions someone may have.

‘The test is the HbA1c, which is the average blood sugar levels over the last three months.

'We have a chart where they can see what the measurements indicate. So if their levels fall between 40 and below, it’s in the normal range – 41 to 49 is prediabetes, 50 and above is diabetes.’

Susan has been able to use her skills in education to help her own aiga/whānau/family. Diabetes runs in her family, with her grandmother, mother, and brother having had their own journey with the condition.

Susan says that, when she meets people in the community, they sometimes say to her, ‘No, I don’t think I have diabetes. The doctors haven’t told me anything.’

But Bandana is able to access electronic medical records on Health Link, so with their consent she can review any results people may have with their HbA1c.

Finding out what the numbers are gives people some medical literacy. Susan says that, with this education, people can understand not only their own numbers but that of family members.

‘It’s amazing when you have someone who doesn’t want anything to do with getting health checks to the point where they are looking at their own lab tests and understanding what’s happening.’

CHALLENGES

Some people aren’t pleased with needles, but Susan and Bandana always take time to explain the process to them and that it isn’t like the needle used in a full blood test. ‘It’s just tiny, you can’t see it, and you hardly feel it. We just pop it on, press the button, it does its work, and then it’s disposed of.’

Winter can prove a challenge sometimes, especially when testing people who work outdoors. ‘We’re in there trying to warm up their hands, then milking their fingers to try and get the blood out, but some people just have very cold hands.’

At a recent Fieldays, they welcomed farm workers to go through the testing process. Susan says this rural crew had very thick skin. ‘We couldn’t get through the layers of skin. But our lancet has different levels, so we can increase the level when needed.’

SEEING, TALKING TO PEOPLE, AND EDUCATING

Susan’s connection to diabetes has come from many directions. As a new graduate in Health Sciences, she took on an internship with Diabetes NZ 11 years ago. Susan had just come from working for a Trust where she had created a successful community package in women’s health. She was asked to adjust it to work for those with type 1 diabetes.

‘And that’s how my passion started for diabetes – seeing, talking to people, and educating.’

But it’s not just people new to diabetes who Susan talks to. She often meets people who have been diagnosed but haven’t fully understood their condition and what they need to do to manage it.

‘We have that discussion. And then, if the results are abnormal (prediabetes or diabetes), I take them through education, portion size, physical activity, ensuring they’re taking their medication on time, understanding what the labelling on the bottles is, and more.’

To find out where the mobile van is going to be, check out the events calendar on our website: www.diabetes.org.nz/eventscalendar