The remarkable work of Dr. Anne Peters at diaTribe and the Roybal Diabetes Management Center
By Kelly Close
If I were to name those who helped make diaTribe possible in its early days, Dr. Anne Peters would be right at the top of the list. To those in her care, she is a beacon of hope, and the type of health care provider who shares her cellphone number with every patient. To her fellow endocrinologists, she is a tireless researcher and innovative thinker. To elite athletes like Olympic Gold Medalist Gary Hall, Jr. and Indy car driver Charlie Kimball, she has been a vital team member, helping them to manage their diabetes while competing at the pinnacle of their respective sports.
That’s why it means so much to me that she was one of the first people to support diaTribe. Back in 2006, when diaTribe began, I had been analyzing and synthesizing the latest news in diabetes research for several years, but that had been primarily for people working in the field, and not those living with diabetes. Dr. Peters understood early on that diaTribe could be a reliable source of information on research and product news for people with diabetes, and she became one of the first members of our Advisory Board.
Seven years later, we’re excited to share the story of the Roybal Diabetes Management Center in this month’s learning curve. Led by Dr. Peters and Dr. Michael Roybal, the clinic offers diabetes care to low-income adults with type 2 diabetes in Los Angeles County. Her work at the Roybal clinic shows how high-quality care can and should be given to everyone who lives with diabetes. It also illuminates the huge challenges behind such care, and particularly the social, economic, and environmental factors that play a role in managing this disease.
The challenges at Roybal are all too common – patients who don’t trust health care providers, who don’t have time for clinic appointments, and who struggle to balance their health with work and family obligations, to name a few. That’s why the achievements at Roybal matter so much. Wellness is relative, and if we’re going to better tackle diabetes on a national and global scale, that’s a lesson we would all do well to learn.
It is critical that we start a national conversation on improving care for all. That’s why I want to renew my call to sign our petition, which asks the FDA to devote one of its planned public meetings to diabetes. I’m sure that, when the FDA holds that meeting in the not-so-distant future, it will remember to reserve a place for Dr. Peters… and hopefully, there will be a place for all of those living with diabetes.
Very best,
Kelly L. Close
