Biography
Laura Plunkett, a columnist for Diabetes Health Magazine & diabetesincontrol.com, a website for diabetes professionals, recently spoke at the Juvenile Diabetes Symposium at the University of California, San Francisco. The Plunkett family has been featured on a Parent-to-Parent segment on WHDH-TV and a Hometown Hero profile on WBZ radio.
Laura and her mother are co-authors of the book, “The Challenge of Childhood Diabetes: Family Strategies for Raising a HealthyChild.” Laura has a BA in Psychology from Brown University and had a thriving private practice for 14 years.
“I really respect how every member of your family is involved in leading a healthy lifestyle. I like how you see yourselves as role models for your kids. Healthy eating (and daily physical activity) is a learned behavior. We need to teach our kids how to take care of their bodies by actually taking care of our own. Thanks for sharing.”
Sylvia Butler, Dietitian
“Laura, your story of life with Danny has turned our world around.”
Kathryn Long, Parent
“I finally broke down and went to a therapist and she told me that I am suffering from depression. Has anyone else read ‘The Challenge of Childhood Diabetes’? Did you know that 24% of mothers and 22% of fathers suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome????!!!!! Did any of our providers think that it might be a good idea to tell us so that we might be able to feel like less of a lunatic when we find ourselves dealing with all of these crazy symptoms?”
ADA Blog
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The Talks
“The Challenge Of
Childhood Diabetes”
Laura Plunkett talks about the impact of childhood
diabetes and describes the family’s successful
journey from crisis to competence that
followed 7-year old Danny Plunkett’s diagnosis
of juvenile diabetes in 2002. In this talk, she
discusses the changes her family made to improve
their nutrition, increase exercise, build
teamwork, and overcome the emotional and
psychogical stresses the diagnosis of diabetes
places upon families.
Laura addresses such questions as: What do
diabetes professionals and educators need to
know about family dynamics? How can you
encourage families to approach diabetes from a
family systems viewpoint? How do you promote
enthusiastic co-operation in making changes?
How can families enlist friends and neighbors
in supporting their goals? How can a child consistently
achieve near-normal blood sugars?
“Raising Wholesome Children In A Fast Food World”
Laura tells how the diagnosis of her 7-year old
son in 2002 prompted a complete overhaul of
her family’s attitude toward nutrition and exercise,
describing her family’s successful journey
to a healthier lifestyle. She discusses the
changes her extended family made, working
as a team, and how she overcame her family’s
natural resistance to such a turnabout.
She offers unique strategies for avoiding burnout,
introducing new foods, and building a
family consensus. |
Speaking Recommendations
“One of the fabulous speakers [at the Pediatric Diabetes Symposium at UCal] was author Laura Plunkett, who wrote The Challenge of Childhood Diabetes, a must-read for parents in her situation. Very calming. Laura talks about the family dynamic because ‘focusing on insulin alone is not enough,’ she says.”
Diabetesmine.com
“I highly recommend Laura Plunkett’s talk at the Newton Free Library. She brought her own perspective the audience could relate to, sharing how her family learned to cope and now thrives. The talk was funny and lively, the audience had many questions and Laura had great ideas.”
Beth Purcell, Program Director
Newton Free Library
“Not only does Laura look like her mom, [a former Boston Globe columnist], but she also inherited her writing and speaking genes.”
Barbara Meltz, The Boston Globe
“Laura was able to explain to us (school nurses) the prolonged stress parents and families are dealing with when they have a child diagnosed with diabetes and how that stress continues. She is a wonderful speaker! Her book is excellent, with practical suggestions for working with parents and families.”
Kathy Hassey, President
Massachusetts School nurse Organizaton
“Laura is a very important voice in the childhood diabetes community!”
Scott King, Editor-in-Chief
Diabetes Health Magazine
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