St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund expands diabetes offering

A second live virtual support group will be added as part of St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund’s diabetes prevention program.

This virtual group allows for communication between program participants as well as their lifestyle coach on a weekly basis. It is intended to provide necessary support for over-the-road truck drivers as they focus on lowering their risk of developing diabetes.

“We are so incredibly proud of the success of this program and its participants,” Julie Dillon, health and wellness manager at St. Christopher Fund, said. “We are always looking for ways to make our programs better so that we can help more drivers get healthy and stay healthy for the long haul.

The St. Christopher Fund program, approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, addresses lifestyle challenges drivers face on the road and helps them learn how to better their health. Those unable to participate in the live virtual group are still able to access an online video program with the same content created by St. Christopher Fund.

“We know that drivers have a unique lifestyle, so we tailor our preventive health programs to meet them where they are and walk with them on their journey to better health,” Dillon said.

Through a partnership with Rolling Strong, participants will be provided additional support with a free six-month membership to the Rolling Strong App, which also is being linked to St. Christopher Fund’s “Rigs without Cigs” program.

“It’s crucial for participants in our Driving Down Diabetes program to have ongoing support during the maintenance phase of the year-long program,” Dillon said. “Our shared passion with Rolling Strong is to see drivers get healthier and feel better. At St. Christopher Fund, we are excited to have Rolling Strong partner with us to assist professional drivers in achieving their health goals.”

In 2021, the first year of the program, the 12 participants combined for more than 180 pounds lost and eight of the 12 surpassed the CDC’s suggested weight loss of 5%.

St. Christopher’s Driving Down Diabetes program offers two free diabetes prevention curriculums available for all professional Class A over-the-road truck drivers at risk for type 2 diabetes. The CDC estimates that people with prediabetes who take part in a structured lifestyle change program can cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%.
For more information about this and other programs available through St. Christopher Fund, go to TruckersFund.org. LL