Nutrition and Diabetes Education
St. Mary’s Health Care System offers many options to help you take charge of your health. Education and lifestyle changes help you manage your disease and reduce the risk of complications. Whether you are eager to learn more about nutrition, lose weight, or lower your hemoglobin A1c, St. Mary's provides the information and compassionate care you need. Our Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (CDCES) provide personalized, patient-centered care and are here to support you in reaching your goals. Our lifestyle instructors and health coaches also facilitate programs to help you prevent disease progression.
Through education and lifestyle changes, diabetes can be managed. St. Mary’s is committed to helping you manage your diabetes. The Outpatient Diabetes Education Department at St. Mary’s is recognized by the American Diabetes Association and offers individual appointments followed by two diabetes education classes. These classes cover all aspects of diabetes self-management, from nutrition to reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications.
St. Mary’s Diabetes Support Group meets monthly in addition to the education classes. For complete meeting details, please visit the Class Calendar.
Our Team Offers Educational and Coaching Classes Promoting
Healthy Eating
Physical Activity
Diabetes Medical Management
Reducing Long-Term Risk
Persons who may benefit from these educational programs include:
- Newly diagnosed persons with diabetes
- Persons previously diagnosed who need updated information
- Persons living with diabetes, family, friends, and others who want to be trained in self-care strategies to reduce complications of diabetes
- People who need insulin pump training
- Persons affected by diabetes during pregnancy
St. Mary’s Diabetes Education Department will work with the patient, the patient’s family, and the patient’s physician to prevent long-term complications, improve diabetes management and blood glucose levels, and improve the quality of life. A physician’s referral is needed.
For more information on the Diabetes Education Department, please call (706) 389-2060 or (800) 233-7864 ext. 2060.
Meet Your Nutritionist Team
Cheryl Elder, RN, BSN, CDCES
Outpatient Diabetes Educator
Cheryl has been a Registered Nurse for over 25 years, having earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from South University in Savannah. She became a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist in 2006 and trained as a Certified DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program) Coach at the CDC in Atlanta. She is motivated by a desire to help people with diabetes gain the confidence, skills, and knowledge to manage their condition and improve their quality of life. She joined St. Mary’s in 2016.
Kathryn Filipiak, RDN, LD
Registered Dietitian
Kathryn has been a Registered Dietitian since 2007 and has provided outpatient Medical Nutrition Therapy for over 15 years. She is certified in the Satter Division of Responsibility in Feeding and Adult Eating Competence. She uses principles of motivational interviewing and experiential learning to partner with clients to create personalized nutrition goals that are enjoyable, sustainable and align with individual values and medical needs. She joined St. Mary’s in 2023.
Emily Jones, MS, RDN, LD, CDCES
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Emily is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. She studied at the University of Georgia and Lenoir-Rhyne University. She started her career at the supplemental food program, Women Infants and Children (WIC), and remains passionate about supporting families in meeting their goals. Emily uses individualized nutrition counseling and community partnerships to foster long-term behavior change and address nutrition security. She joined St. Mary's in 2023.
Medical Nutrition Therapy
Our nutrition counseling services are led by registered dietitians. We begin with a personalized diet assessment to tailor our counseling to your specific needs. Many insurance plans cover up to 3 hours of nutrition counseling with certain conditions. A physician referral is required.
Key Topics
- Nutrient analysis
- Food’s impact on health
- Culinary skills
- Balance and moderation
- Realistic goal setting
- Eating out
- Religious or cultural preferences
Our dietitians work closely as members of the interdisciplinary team to provide recommendations that align with your current treatment plans, such as low salt diets for patients with heart disease or carb counting for patients with diabetes.
Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support
St. Mary's Outpatient Diabetes Education program is accredited by the American Diabetes Association and offers individual counseling along with comprehensive group classes.
Our program covers all aspects of diabetes self-management, including understanding the diabetes process, medication management, exercise and nutrition, and preventing complications. A physician referral is required to attend up to 10 hours, which are covered by Medicare and most private insurance plans. It is important to note that this is a once-in-a-lifetime benefit, so once you start it, you have 12 months to finish. We have a rotating schedule for group classes once you complete your initial assessment.
Free monthly Diabetes Support Group meetings provide up-to-date diabetes information and ongoing support. For complete meeting details, please call 706-389-2060 or (800) 233-7864 ext. 2060.
Are you a candidate for Bariatric Surgery?
Learn More
Are You at Risk for Diabetes? Join our Prevention Program.
Learn More