Build a healthy

diet for diabetes

n A free program in Fulton will help people with diabetes and their families remake their plates.

The Healthy Diabetes Plate will be served up at 5:30 p.m. Mondays beginning March 31 at the Itawamba County Extension Office.

The program takes MyPyramid and puts it on a plate. It encourages people with diabetes to eat a variety of different foods and includes servings from all the food groups in each meal. To register, contact the Itawamba County Extension office at 862-3201.

New support groups

begin in March, April

n Two new Tupelo support groups are offering assistance for the grieving and families battling childhood cancer.

* The Children with Cancer support group will have its first meeting at 6 p.m. March 31 at Cross Point Ministries on Eason Boulevard. All families dealing with childhood cancer are invited to attend. For more information, contact Angie Frank at 871-7987, Frankbernina@aol.com or www.caringbridge.org/visit/devinfrank.

* Beginning April 13, the Free to Grieve support group will meet at 5:30 p.m. Mondays at the Bel-Air Center in Tupelo. The group will provide a safe, confidential environment for folks to talk about any type of loss. All adults are welcome.

Contact facilitator Cathy Miller at 840-8156 or Leigh Ann Mallory at 841-6440.

NEMS nurses

get state awards

n Five Northeast Mississippi nurses have received top honors from the Mississippi Nurses Association.

The Nightingale Awards were handed out earlier this month at a ceremony in Jackson. Nurses from two Northeast Mississippi hospitals were recognized.

From Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford:

* Wanda Dent of Oxford, nurse mentor of the year

From North Mississippi Medical Center-Tupelo:

* Kimberla Jones of Tupelo, nurse researcher of the year

* Leigh Ann Puckett of Tupelo, nursing administrator of the year

* Becky Rogers Dorough of Tupelo, advanced practice nurse of the year

* Janice P. Starling of Guntown, nurse of the year.

Daily Journal reports