Jan. 29, 2026

Diabetes Free SC (DFSC), a collaborative initiative of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation, works alongside health care providers, schools, community organizations and public health leaders to reduce the impact of diabetes across the state. By aligning partners and supporting proven approaches to prevention, education and care, DFSC is helping South Carolinians live healthier lives.

Diabetes continues to affect communities across South Carolina, touching the lives of more than half of the state’s adult population and contributing to rising health care costs and long-term complications. While the challenge is significant, the work highlighted in the 2025 Diabetes Free SC Impact Report shows that meaningful progress is possible when partners come together with a shared goal.

A Generational Approach to Diabetes Prevention and Care

DFSC focuses its efforts across three key stages of life, recognizing that early intervention and sustained support can change health outcomes over time:

1. Improving pregnancy outcomes and the health of women with or at risk for diabetes
2. Reducing the lifelong risk of diabetes in children
3. Preventing diabetes and its complications in adults

By addressing diabetes at these critical points, DFSC and its partners are working to create lasting improvements in health that extend across families and communities.

Programs Making a Measurable Difference

Supporting Women and Healthy Pregnancies

DFSC-supported programs are improving care and outcomes for women before, during and after pregnancy. The SC MOMs program provides team-based care for pregnant women with Type 1, Type 2 or gestational diabetes. Since 2020, SC MOMs has served more than 3,200 women through Prisma Health and MUSC Health. The program has led to fewer cesarean deliveries, reduced NICU admissions, lower rates of preterm birth and improved infant health outcomes. The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) continues that support beyond pregnancy. More than 1,600 women have completed the program, which focuses on reducing diabetes risk and supporting long-term management. Participants have shown improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and A1C levels.

Helping Children Build Healthy Habits Early

DFSC also invests in programs that support healthier environments for children. Through partnerships with the MUSC Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, schools across South Carolina are adopting policies and practices that encourage physical activity, nutritious food choices, and overall wellness.

In 2025, more than 50,000 students participated in school wellness programs, and 105 schools earned recognition as America’s Healthiest Schools. Additional efforts, such as Kids in Parks, expanded access to outdoor activity by opening 71 TRACK Trails across 31 counties. Since 2020, children using these trails have logged more than 140,000 miles of physical activity.

Improving Care and Reducing Complications for Adults

For adults living with diabetes or prediabetes, DFSC-supported initiatives focus on education, access, and prevention of complications. VeggieRx, a produce prescription program, delivered nearly 4,000 boxes of fresh food to patients in 2025. Participants showed improvements in A1C, blood pressure and weight.

Community Health Workers embedded in Federally Qualified Health Centers reached more than 1,100 patients, helping improve diabetes management and connecting individuals to preventive screenings and services. Newer efforts, such as the SHIELD Initiative, launched in 2025, bring diabetes education into faith-based settings, meeting people where they are and building trust through community partnerships.

Additional programs, including presurgical diabetes prehabilitation, help patients better manage diabetes before surgery, reducing complications and supporting better long-term outcomes.

Collaboration Across the State

Collaboration remains at the core of DFSC’s work. In 2025, more than 150 leaders from clinical care, public health, and community organizations came together to align strategies, share lessons learned, and strengthen partnerships. By coordinating efforts with statewide initiatives such as the Birth Outcomes Initiative, the State Health Improvement Plan and Wholespire, DFSC helps ensure resources are used effectively and reach communities where they are needed most.

Measuring Progress and Looking Ahead

The impact of DFSC-supported efforts is reflected in improved health outcomes across programs, including lower A1C levels, healthier pregnancies, reduced complications, and increased access to healthy food and physical activity. These results demonstrate the power of aligning clinical expertise with community-driven solutions.

While the work to address diabetes in South Carolina continues, the progress highlighted in the 2025 Impact Report offers hope for the future. Through continued collaboration, innovation, and commitment, DFSC and its partners are helping change the course of diabetes across the state.

To learn more about this work and the impact made in communities across South Carolina, explore the 2025 Diabetes Free SC Annual Impact Report.