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Health & Fitness

Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins Shares Personal Story of Health and Empowerment

Kaiser Permanente Event Inspires Members to Take Control of Hypertension, Diabetes

Nearly 400 Kaiser Permanente members and area residents poured into the Kaiser Permanente Gardena medical office on May 20th for “Drop it and Thrive.” The event included a variety of health screenings, cooking demonstrations and educational presentations—including a very special appearance by Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins of hip-hop group TLC. 

“We see a great deal of hypertension and diabetes in our community,” said Dr. Agnes Chen, physician in charge of Kaiser Permanente’s Gardena medical office. “Keeping your numbers under control—particularly your blood pressure and blood sugar—is critical to protecting your health and quality of life. This event is one way to remind members that there are a variety of tools available, from medications to diet modifications. As health care providers, we want to be our patients’ partners in finding the path to health that will work best for them.” 

Tionne engaged in a conversation with Dr. Chen at the event focused on her own personal health care journey. Diagnosed with sickle-cell anemia as a child, Tionne was recently treated for a brain tumor. She spoke openly with event attendees about her own personal struggle to remain positive in the face of medical issues, and to maintain a healthy weight with regular exercise and a balanced diet. Ultimately, her message was one of empowerment and hope, encouraging members to persevere in the face of difficult medical issues. 

If not controlled, hypertension and diabetes can put patients at risk for a host of complications that can affect nearly ever organ of the body. These include heart and blood vessel disease, damage to nerves or feet, gum disease, kidney failure or blindness. To learn more about hypertension or diabetes, please visit www.kp.org

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