Founded as a not-for-profit organization in 1984 by Richard A. Guthrie, MD, Endocrinologist, Joseph W. Hume, MD, Obstetrician/Gynecologist, and Leslie W. Nesmith, MD, Retinologist, Great Plains Diabetes (GPD) provides clinical care and education to patients and families of all ages.
The organization provides individualized diabetes care and education via face to face and telehealth services, public and professional education, and youth activities including the day camp Camp Live Well for children. Great Plains Diabetes is a community organization dedicated to reducing the burden of diabetes in Wichita and throughout the state.
Great Plains Diabetes operates an Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner clinic with practitioners, Belinda Childs, APRN, BC-ADM, CDCES; Jennifer Sebes, DNP, NP-C; Nerlyn Cooper, DNP and Erika Schrandt, FNP-C.
We accept most insurances for our clinical services as well as self-pay. We also offer financial assistance for those in need. As a non-profit, we accept donations that allow us to offer services to everyone with diabetes as well as support healthy community activities.
Funding
We are supported by #ForceforGood grant from United Way, the Tour De Wichita in collaboration with Bike Walk Wichita, the Kansas Heart Hospital Golf tournament, the T Lex fund and many generous donors which allow us to provide our comprehensive diabetes care and education for all.
A newly established scholarship was awarded to Makenzie Tade this year. It is a dedicated scholarship to students pursuing a degree in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dietetics, or behavioral health. Donations to continue these scholarships can be made the Drs. Richard and Diabetes Diabetes Education Scholarship.
Our Providers
Belinda Childs
Belinda Childs is Executive Director and a Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist at Great Plains Diabetes. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Nursing at Wichita State University. She graduated from Wichita State University with a Masters in Nursing, Diabetes Nurse Specialist. She started working with Drs. Richard and Diana Guthrie at KU Medical School-Wichita in 1979, moved to MidAmerica Diabetes Associates and was with them from 1985 until Dr. Guthrie’s retirement in 2014. She then founded Great Plains Diabetes Clinic with the support of the Board with Julie Dvorak, RN,CDE and Rita Pedigo. Mrs. Childs served as editor for Diabetes Spectrum from 2001 to 2005, is the editor of The Complete Nurses Guide to Diabetes Care, and has authored several publications. She is a member of American Association of Diabetes Educators, the American Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, and the American Diabetes Association (where she is a past president of Health Care & Education) and the Kansas Advanced Practice Nurses, currently serving as a Director, CNS. Mrs. Childs is the 2010 recipient of the American Diabetes Association's Outstanding Educator in Diabetes Award and the 1997 recipient of the American Diabetes Association Dr. Rachmiel Levine Award. She also served on the 2005/2012 ADA Advisory Panel on hypoglycemia and has served on the International Hypoglycemia Study Group board since it’s inception. She has been married to Rick since 1975, has two adult children, and enjoys her farm on weekends in North Central Kansas.
Jennifer Sebes, DNP, NP-C
Jennifer joined Great Plains Diabetes, May of 2023 after serving patients at GraceMed Clinic for more than 16 years. She also is on faculty at Wichita State University in the Graduate Nursing Program as Associate Teaching Professor.
Nerlyn Cooper, DNP
Nelly joined us in March of 2024. She has worked with Dr. Hoffman (retired endocrinologist and current Board member) for many years. She also works at Newton Medical Center. She is a busy mom with two children. She also speaks fluent Spanish.
Erika Schrandt, APRN, FNP-C
Erika joined the practice in April of 2024. She has been nurse practitioner for 7 years. She has a special interest in diabetes as she has two children with type 1 diabetes. In her time off, she enjoys spending time with her family.
Our Staff
Kris Johnson
Kris was initially a volunteer for Great Plains Diabetes as her father was a founding father of Great Plains Diabetes Research, Inc in 1983. She still volunteers as a member of the Board of Directors and serves as secretary of the Board. She works part time in the office as an office assistant, helping schedule new patients for care and education, as well as other clerical activities. She graduated from Wichita State University with a BA in Human Resources and has a banking work history. She is married and has one daughter.
Lisa Molt, BSN, RN, CDCES
Lisa joined us in August of 2020 as a diabetes nurse. She has been a nurse for over 11 years with an expertise in cardiac care. She is married, has a young daughter and loves to cook. She enjoys supporting others who may be needing extra motivation or encouragement.
Rita Pedigo, Office Manager
Rita is a founding staff member of the Great Plains Diabetes Clinic. She came with Belinda Childs, APRN and Julie Dvorak, RN, CDE to open the diabetes clinic after working at MidAmerica Diabetes Associates for 8 years. She has been instrumental in guiding the development of the clinic policies, insurance contracts, credentialing for the providers and is the smiling face and cheerful voice that our patients hear when they call our office. Rita has taken a lead in the public diabetes event that we have hosted for 4 years, Live Well with Diabetes. She is a wife, mother of 3, and grandmother of 5.
Allison Childs, RN, BSN, CDCES
Allison works two days a week supporting people with diabetes at Great Plains Diabetes. She works part time at Via Christi Hospital on the oncology unit. She started working at MidAmerica Diabetes Associates in medical records when she was in high school, volunteered at ADA Camp Discovery in high school and continues to be a camp nurse. She is instrumental in our Camp Live Well day camp. She graduated from Newman University school of nursing.
MaKenzie Tade
MaKenzie works part time for us now. She worked as a Medical Assistant/Project manager until she started medical school in the summer of 2024. She directed Camp Live Well for two years as well as coordinating ADA Camp Discovery for 3 years. She has provided key support in managing our data for our grants. We are keeping her on payroll in hopes she will continue to have some time for us during medical school at the KU-Wichita campus.
Deb Nelson
Deb joined us in July of 2024 as Medical Assistant. She has previously worked at a chiropractic clinic as well as taught pre-school through high school and coached volleyball for 20 years. On her off time, she enjoys her family and church activities.
Peter Burns
Peter joined us in August of 2024 as Medical Assistant. He is currently enrolled at Wichita State University in the Nursing program. On his off time, he enjoys guitar and spending time with family and friends.
Sarah Diamond, Ed
Joined our team in February, 2024 as Development Director. She is working on a number of projects including the Tour de Wichita, planning our 40th anniversary/10 year clinic celebration, and working to improve our Board as well as our funding opportunities.
Elizabeth Wilson, RD, LD, CDCES
Liz is a dietitian, diabetes educator who works with us part time providing 1:1 education primarily via telemedicine. She also teaches our group education classes at the office as well as in the public education program.
Patricia Corning, RN, CDCES
Patricia Corning, RN, CDCES joined in 2022 guiding us in our American Diabetes Association Education Recognition Application and she continue to be the guiding force behind our diabetes education program. We are her part time job. She also is coordinating out public community education program which also is mentoring our next generation of diabetes educators. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, grandchildren, and camping.
Our Board
- Steve Hayes, President
- Doug Minson, Vice-President
- Kris Johnson, Secretary
- Nicole Gugle, Treasurer
- Amber Brehm
- Bill Cantwell
- Kim Dinkel
- Debbie Hinnen, APRN
- Jan Hoffman, MD
- Allea Potter
- Matt Thibault
- Paul Weishaar, MD
- Frankie Francel (emeritus)
- Diana Guthrie, PhD (emeritus)
Pictured are Terry Burlakoff, Lindy Childs, Rita Pedigo, Julie Dvorak, Debbie Hinnen, Kirby Conley, Drs. Diana and Richard Guthrie.
Our Board
Steve Hayes, President
Doug Minson, Vice-President
Kris Johnson, Secretary
Nicole Gugle, Treasurer
Frankie Francel
Bill Cantwell
Debbie Hinnen, APRN
Paul Weishaar, MD
Diana Guthrie, PhD (emeritus)
Matt Thibault
Kim Dinkel
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