Kovler Diabetes Center raises over $35K for diabetes care and research at Salon Kovler event

The University of Chicago Medicine Kovler Diabetes Center raised more than $35,000 at its annual Salon Kovler event, which supports the health system's critical diabetes care and research initiatives that are focused on reducing healthcare disparities.

The March 9 fundraiser and educational program at Navy Pier brought together community stakeholders, corporate leaders, and UChicago Medicine faculty and staff for a conversation about diabetes disparities and how to overcome them. It was moderated by 17-time Emmy Award winning veteran ABC 7 Chicago news anchor rate is 30% higher than in Chicago as a whole. While work continues at UChicago Medicine and across the country to reduce the

Following the interview, Burton moderated a panel where UChicago faculty members, Arshiya Baig, MD, MPH, Elbert Huang, MD, MPH, and Celeste Thomas, MD, shared insights about their work exploring healthcare disparities in diabetes care.

Thomas oversees the “Using Technology to Address Disparities and Promote Healthcare Equity in Type 1 Diabetes”, or EquiT1D study, which aims to address disparities in care by supporting adults with type 1 diabetes with diabetes technology devices such as continuous glucose monitors (CGMs).

Baig has worked on multiple community-based participatory research projects to improve healthcare delivery to Latinx communities in both Los Angeles and Chicago.

Huang has studied clinical and health care policy issues at the intersection of diabetes, aging, and health economics throughout his career. Alongside Stacy Tessler Lindau, MD, Huang currently oversees the Louis Philipson, MD, PhD, the James C. Tyree Professor of Diabetes Research and Care of Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics.

"The Kovler Diabetes Center’s ongoing research and care programs will continue to prioritize improving health disparities, particularly on the South Side of Chicago," Philipson said. "It's critical that we foster more opportunities among community leaders to learn from one another, and ultimately collaborate as agents of change."