For Lisa M. Taylor, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, her participation in this year’s fair is personal.
“My mom died from the complications of diabetes almost 20 years ago, and I remember how she struggled with, ‘What do I eat? Why do I have to take all these medicines? What am I supposed to do? What does this blood sugar mean?’” said Taylor, an assistant clinical professor in the UNM College of Nursing. “Some clinicians were better at responding than others. I want to be that person who advocates for my family, I want to be that person that advocates for somebody else’s family member.”
Taylor said her goal is to use her family background and expertise as a Black provider in advanced diabetes management to educate New Mexicans and help them access the care they need.
“It is complicated, it is expensive, it is frustrating, and I get that,” she said. “I want to make it a little less frustrating, a little less complicated, and something where people feel empowered to do what they need to do to manage this complex disease.”
Taylor said this weekend’s health fair is a helpful first step, and it is about so much more than conducting free tests and handing out brochures. She said the cooking and fitness demonstrations Saturday will be tailored to Black, Hispanic and Native American community members, so they can incorporate healthy lifestyle changes that align with their cultural traditions and beliefs.
“I always want to begin with, ‘you’re a person that lives with diabetes,’ or, ‘you’re a person that loves someone that lives with diabetes, but that disease does not define you.’” Taylor said. “They are the experts on their bodies. They are the experts on their cultural background, what nutrition they prefer, and what nutrition they don’t prefer. It is our job as clinicians to listen.”
