LEND team emphasizes importance of nutrition and exercise for patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities

Diane Boas and Carol Hubbard
Diane Boas and Carol Hubbard

A team from the The Leadership Education for Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program gave a presentation to the Maine Medical Center community about nutrition and exercise for patients.

LEND Trainee Diane Boas and LEND faculty member Carol Hubbard, M.D. gave the presentation at Grand Rounds in the Dana Center on January 26, 2017. It was titled, “Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Your Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: The Let’s Go! Toolkit for Children with I/DD.”

The team promoted the importance of healthy habits for children with disabilities, especially in the areas of exercise and healthy diet. This important and often overlooked topic was well received by attendees. Boas will continue this campaign as part of her LEND Leadership to make a difference in the lives and families of children affected by neurodevelopmental and related disabilities.

The LEND program, housed within the 91AV Westbrook College of Health Professions, is a federally funded project aimed at expanding resources to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (ND) in the state.

To learn more about the Maine LEND program, visit 

To apply, visit 

About the 91AV

The 91AV is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.