Dianne K. Lehman Executive Producer

Contact Information: Diabetes Compass 310, 10654-82 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6E 2A7 Phone: 780.432.7168 Fax: 780.468.9262 E-mail: producer@diabetescompass.com

Lehman Diabetes Initiative

Mission

Diabetes Compass was formed in 2004 to fuel the mission of the Lehman Diabetes Initiative which is to reduce the onset of diabetes, diabetes complications as well as the human and fiscal burden of diabetes in Canada by 15% or more, by the year 2011. Our first priority is to markedly increase the accessibility and effectiveness of diabetes health education in the Capital Region of Alberta, targeting pre-diabetic and diabetic urban and rural Albertans. This mission will be accomplished through strong collaborations with relationships with strategic partners and alliances.

Vision

Imagine - diabetes education and awareness that knows no barriers. Envision reaching countless Albertans with free, virtual diabetes education classes in their homes, offices, vehicles - anywhere, anytime. Dianne Lehman's dream is to deliver a successful diabetes health education and awareness, multi-media system in the Capital Region of Alberta, with the co-operation and participation of key alliances.

Diabetes Compass aspires to bring this system to life; raising awareness and encouraging healthier outcomes for thousands of Albertans. The next step will be to duplicate this system throughout other Canadian centres.

The support, co-operation and participation of community and stakeholders is critical to this vision. The Diabetes Compass vision embraces a series of multimedia education classes, system and awareness campaigns which appeal to Albertans and Canadians, to own their health and be proactive with their family physician. Diabetes Compass is spearheading this ground-breaking by optimizing existing programs and ultimate health outcomes.

Company History

Ms. Lehman is a veteran radio communication specialist. Her 30 year career includes Canadian Armed Forces communications as well as well as police communications. She is a trained broadcaster with broadcasting experience as program manager and disc jockey while a peacekeeper in the Middle East at CFE, Canadian Forces Europe radio, Egypt as well as her role as executive producer and host of Canada's only weekly diabetes radio education program: Diabetes Compass Radio.

Ms. Lehman is a retired RCMP member and a decorated, retired army sergeant who has taken her love of country to a whole new level. She has a zeal for creative marketing and communications however, diabetes is her true passion. It became evident to her in early 2004 that something had to be done about our diabetes epidemic. Ms. Lehman created the Lehman Diabetes Initiative, to publicize diabetes information and resources. Her home town, home province and fellow Canadians were faced with an enormous, silent crisis that many were not aware of. A regional focus has been the initial approach of the Lehman Diabetes Initiative. She immersed herself in writing, publishing and the subject of diabetes for which she had no previous knowledge or training. She acted swiftly in 2004 by funding, creating, publishing and promoting a series of eight Diabetes Compass magazine features. These magazines and magazine features gave a face to diabetes with personal profiles of people who live with diabetes while providing a vehicle for existing diabetes health information from diabetes-focused sources such as organizations and health professionals. The publication was well received in the region by diabetes health professionals, diabetes organizations and people living with diabetes.

A diabetes radio program deliberately superseded the magazine feature as the need for a greater audience reach became apparent. Radio has the potential to transcend all other modes of communication as perceived barriers become invisible. Diabetes Compass Radio was launched in September of 2005 and became the world's only, weekly radio and internet-based diabetes education talk show. Diabetes Compass Radio offers expert diabetes health information in a half-hour talk show format program. It features various diabetes health professionals, diabetes resources and profiles of individuals who live with diabetes. Diabetes Compass is capable of reaching millions Albertans, Canadians and world-wide listeners through exceptional broadcast signal strength coupled with simultaneous live-streaming audio internet web-casts. It is a specialty destination program and also an established talk show program on CJCA radio and the internet. The program broadcasts each Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m., Mountain Time. Archiveed radio programs and magazine features are also available free of charge, on the Diabetes Compass website.

Diabetes Compass is affiliated with a dynamic team of highly skilled diabetes health professionals, diabetes writers/editors, broadcasters, producer, business management and strategic alliances. We are currently producing a series of condensed diabetes health classes, in cooperation with Capital Health Authority's Regional Diabetes Program. These classes are designed to compliment and supplement Capital Health group diabetes classes at various sites throughout the capital region and are now being delivered via weekly radio broadcasts and web-casts.