Diabetes support group

BANGOR – Christine Noble of the American Diabetes Association will be the featured speaker during the Jan. 8 meeting of the diabetes support group at 1 p.m. in the Diabetes and Nutrition Center, Building 1, St. Joseph Healthcare Park, 900 Broadway.

Noble will speak on “Low Carbohydrate Winter Meals” at the meeting, which is free and open to the public. Support group members share their personal experiences relating to diabetes management, stress reduction techniques and daily coping skills. Diabetes educators are available to facilitate the meeting and answer questions. For information, call 262-1836.

MS program

HAMPDEN – The Maine Chapter, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, will present Moving Forward, a program for people who have been diagnosed with MS in the past two years, from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Hampden Chapter Outreach Office.

Nurse Mary Lingley of Neurology Associates of Eastern Maine will talk about the MS disease process and symptom management. Social worker Carol Ippoliti will facilitate group discussion about coping and living successfully with MS.

The program gives participants an opportunity to gain a better understanding about MS and identify various options for treatment; learn what programs and services the National MS Society offers; identify disclosure and employment issues; and discuss various coping strategies.

To register for the program or to learn more about MS, call 942-8604, (800) 273-4703 or visit www.msmaine.org.

Writing for health

HAMPDEN – The Maine Chapter, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, will present “Write On: A Tool For Emotional Health,” from 11 a.m. to noon Monday, Jan. 12, at the Maine Chapter, MS Society’s outreach office in Hampden.

Mary Moore will present the first of a free two-part program about journaling as way to reduce stress.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that is most often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 50. Symptoms range from blurred vision, numbness in an arm or leg, to total paralysis. While there are treatments to slow the progression of the disease, there is no cure.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is the largest private sponsor of MS research in the world.

To register for the journaling program or to find out more about multiple sclerosis, call (800) 273-4703, 942-8604 or visit www.msmaine.org.