At Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, social workers, an endocrinologist and a psychologist are helping nearly 150 newly diagnosed patients and their families cope with Type 1 diabetes through support groups held at the hospital and in the community. Two groups are held in English, one is in Spanish and another is bilingual.

"Being diagnosed with diabetes is a stressful experience for children and their families. Overnight, they must learn to master tasks such as checking blood glucose levels and administering insulin injections multiple times each day, and make often drastic lifestyle changes. Our community-based diabetes support groups give families the skills necessary for effective diabetes management as well as much needed psychosocial support from both professionals and peers. They would not exist without philanthropic support and so we are extremely grateful to the Jewish Community Foundation for its generous donation."

-Dr. Lynda Fisher