Free foot care program hosted by Mercy Southeast Hospital

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – The average person walks 110,000 miles in their lifetime.

An estimated 80% of people over 21 will report a foot ailment at some point in their lives.

Taking care of your feet is important, particularly for individuals with diabetes.

Mercy Southeast’s Diabetes Support Group will hold a foot care program on Tuesday, May 14 from 1 to 2 p.m. at Mercy HealthPoint Fitness in Cape Girardeau.

“There’s a lot to manage if you have diabetes: checking your blood sugar, making healthy food, taking medications, finding time to be active,” said Kay Litwicki, RD, LD, Mercy Southeast registered dietitian, and support group facilitator. “Your feet might be the last thing on your mind, but taking good care of your feet is one of the best ways to prevent foot complications associated with diabetes.”

About half of all people with diabetes have some kind of nerve damage, most often in the feet and legs. “Nerve damage can cause you to lose feeling in your feet. That’s why it’s so important to check your feet every day so you can catch problems early and get them treated promptly. Early treatment greatly reduces your risk of serious complications,” added Litwicki.

Cape Girardeau podiatrist Greg Lifferth, DPM, will join Litwicki to offer additional tips about maintaining healthy feet including when to see a doctor, daily foot care hygiene and more.

This program is just one example of Mercy giving back to its communities.

Mercy provided free care and other community benefits like this, along with traditional charity care and unreimbursed Medicaid, worth more than half a billion dollars to Mercys communities in fiscal year 2023.

To register for this free program, call Mercy Southeast Diabetes Center, 573-339-0121.