Throughout our community and beyond, the demand for services provided at the Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute continues to rise. To meet this growing demand, we have a vision to position the Institute as one of the top programs in the country with ongoing strong support from the University of Louisville, Norton Children’s Hospital, Norton Community Medical Associates - Endocrinology, the Lift A Life Novak Foundation, and the philanthropic generosity of the community. Our proposed growth—integral to sustaining and improving our national reputation in the comprehensive care and management of diabetes — addresses clinical support needs, outreach, technology, workforce and research. As the #16 program for pediatric diabetes care in the country, our Journey to Excellence continues.
Outreach Expansion
Our $7 million philanthropic vision will provide families more opportunities to better understand the benefits of living healthy, active lives to demonstrate that they are part of a strong, energetic diabetes community with Norton, while keeping their care here at home.
Adolescent to Adult Transition
Our $30 million philanthropic vision will bridge the long-recognized gap in care for type 1 diabetes between children and adults, by helping us continue to our strong developmental and family focus that sets our patients up for success during that transition.
Preeminent Workforce and Research
Our $23 million philanthropic vision will develop endowed chairs to expand our regional presence, improve our national rankings and facilitate our ability to attract and recruit the next generation of talented endocrinologist, thus elevating the care for diabetes patients in our communities.
…elevating the care for diabetes patients in our community and region
…providing the same level of education and clinical care currently provided to our children as they transition to adulthood
…reaching patients and providers who lack access to advanced diabetes care management
Our Journey to Excellence
The national recognition enjoyed by the Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute is a testament to the hard work and determination of our comprehensive clinical team, but we will not rest on our laurels. Our Journey to Excellence is an enduring process that requires diligence, funding and effort to achieve our vision
in areas such as community outreach, transitional
care from childhood to adulthood, and healthcare workforce development.
In addition to improving our existing educational community outreach efforts to fight diabetes, we must find innovative ways to expand our telehealth care program to more effectively reach those in our region’s rural areas that lack the care they deserve. By providing a more convenient healthcare interface for issues such as real-time review of advanced technology downloads for glucose meters, continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps, we can remove the gap in care that distance often creates.
As children with type 1 diabetes transition into adulthood, the strong developmental and family focus found in pediatric care often subsides due to adult care’s attention on type 2 diabetes. With new situational changes such as graduating from high school, enrolling in college, moving out of parents’ homes, and beginning a career come challenges many are unprepared to face. Our long-term vision is to develop a Transition-in-Care Program to ensure healthy diabetes patients from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. This would include recruitment of additional talented endocrinologists and specialized transitions-in-care nurse navigators to meet that need. Establishing endowed chairs will help elevate that cause along with the overall diabetes care we are able to provide our community.
“Diabetes impacts the whole family. The immediate goal is to develop a relationship to instill confidence and empower a child and family to take care of their diabetes, and to show that they are not alone on this journey. For diabetes, success is taking away the fear and building confidence. Empowerment is a major part of the Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute mission.”
Kupper A. Wintergerst, M.D.
Wendy L. Novak Endowed Chair
