EPIC Diabetes Conference offers important information, connection

The Children's Diabetes Foundation is hosting its annual educational conference, EPIC Diabetes Conference. EPIC stands for empowering patients for individualized care.

"The goal of the conference is to educate people on Type1 and Type 2 diabetes, in a really understanding, caring, and comfortable environment," said Sydney Rickert, Community Engagement Manager with the Children's Diabetes Foundation.

The conference started in 2017, and was designed to give patients, families, friends, and caregivers (school nurses, healthcare providers, etc.) access to the latest in diabetes care, technology, and medications. The Children's Diabetes Foundation was hoping to empower patients to determine a disease management plan that works specifically for their lives.

"What's great about it is you can connect with the diabetes community, in general, but also experts in the field," Rickert explained.

Workshops include a 15-minute presentation by the speaker(s), followed by 45minutes for questions from attendees. The theme of this year's conference is lifelong health with diabetes.

"Our first subject is how to manage extreme high and extreme low blood sugars. Our second one is about how to live a happy and fulfilled life with diabetes, and then our third subject is how to prevent and manage long term complications with diabetes," Rickert said.

Rickert has been a Type 1 diabetic for about 16-years. She's been through the highs and lows that the disease comes with and knows how important up-to-date information is for patients. But, more than anything, she hopes the EPIC Diabetes Conference promotes community.

"Being around people who know what you're going through and who can empathize with you and just cry when you need to and celebrate when you need to is so valuable," she told CBS News Colorado.

LINK: Register for the EPIC Diabetes Conference

Registration costs $10. There are three tracks: adult, which is for adults with diabetes; pediatric, which is for young people, their parents and caregivers; and advanced, which is for medical professionals and people who've lived with and around diabetes for a long time and want a more scientific view of the disease. This year's keynote address will be given by Professor of Pediatrics from Yale University, Jennifer Sherr, who will be talking about long-term strategies for healthy living with diabetes.