Meet Stephanie

I was diagnosed with diabetes on April 26, 2013.

When you’re diagnosed as an adult, they really don’t prepare you for all the challenges that you’re going to face.

I remember they handed me a meter, some pamphlets, a couple of prescriptions and sent me home.

And needless to say, I was terrified.

With an A1c of 13.8 when I was diagnosed, I was determined to get it back down to 6.

I was very focused and had my eye on the goal.

And I reached it. And I was so proud of myself.

I reached the goal! But then I realized that Diabetes is like a marathon that you don’t win.

There is no finish line. You have to keep running. And so I had to change my perspective.

Diabetes isn’t something that happened to me but it’s something that happened for us.

It’s changed the way our family views our health.

We are much more thoughtful about food now.

Instead of eating processed food products we now focus on fresh fruits and vegetables we make sure to take a walk after dinner each night.

It’s something we get to do for ourselves to make ourselves feel better, to stay active, and we get to see our neighbours and the world change around us.

Diabetes isn’t something that just happened to me.

It has made my family healthier.