General News
10 July, 2025
Healthy in Hopetoun
A dozen Hopetoun locals have decided to lead healthier lives after attending the second session of the ‘Life! Lifestyle Modification Program.’
It was the second of four sessions of the program, led by Lisa Cosson, the long-time life facilitator for the Diabetes Prevention Program, marking the program’s first time in the town.
Ms Cosson, a Horsham-based facilitator, has run the program for over 18 years in the Wimmera region, focusing on preventing chronic illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes, through lifestyle changes.
“It’s a healthy living program to help people look at what they can do, the modifiable risk factors that we all have to lead a healthy lifestyle and to keep them away from a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes,” she said.
“The reason that I ended up here in Hopetoun was one of my Horsham participants; he came and talked to Community House and asked if I would be interested in coming up this way.”
The first session of the program focused on education, during which Ms Cosson educated all attendees on how to lead a healthier life.
This second session focused on nutrition, exploring the benefits of specific foods and carbohydrates for a healthy life, with physical activities and mental wellbeing to be addressed in upcoming sessions.
“Today was all about nutrition and what we can do to improve our nutrition to stay away from metabolic disease,” she said.
One of the session’s participants, Susan Pearse, said
“One of the things I love about Life! Lifestyle Modification Program is that it opens doors; doors to understanding how to look at what we do and how to do it better; understanding more about food, exercise and other factors that influence our wellbeing,” she said.
“And Lisa does it in an encouraging way; it’s a journey, and as she describes it, it’s step by step.
“Health through education, understanding, support and encouragement is a great start to new beginnings for a better life, I think.”
Ms Cosson said we need to start living healthy life immediately.
“We need to realise how fragile life is.
“We need to understand that it’s really important and urgent that we start looking after health from the inside out.”
Anyone interested in changing their lifestyle and incorporating physical activities is welcome to join the group at Hopetoun Neighbourhood House and Learning Centre in two weeks, as the next session will focus on getting bodies moving.