News
Beyond Blood Sugar: Helping People Live Well with Diabetes
Date: 2026-11-14
Today is World Diabetes Day, a day to raise awareness about diabetes and recognize the importance of education, care and support for people living with the condition.
For Chris Hewson, managing diabetes had become increasingly difficult. After living with Type 2 diabetes for several years, he had read the books and made the changes he thought he was supposed to: cutting out carbohydrates and sugar, taking oral medication and running daily. But despite his efforts, he began losing weight at an alarming rate and knew something needed to change.
When a nurse told him about Diabetes Health, he decided to reach out.
That first conversation marked a turning point for Chris, connecting him with a team that could provide specialized education and guidance to help him better understand his condition. Since then, Chris has continued working with St. Joseph's Care Group's Diabetes Health team, receiving ongoing education, individualized guidance and support as his needs evolve.
"It's been a saving grace for me and my diabetes, honestly," Chris shared.
Six years later, Chris continues to benefit from the team's expertise and ongoing support.
Based in Thunder Bay, Diabetes Health supports people across Northwestern Ontario with specialized diabetes education and guidance. The team works alongside individuals and their existing healthcare providers, offering individualized education, nutrition counselling, medication guidance and support with diabetes technology to help people manage their health in their everyday lives.
"Living with diabetes means making decisions about your health every single day," explain Deanna Zago and Jen Ross of Diabetes Health. "People can struggle with everything from understanding blood sugar readings, medications, food choices and physical activity to managing the emotional stress, financial costs and demands of a condition that never really takes a day off."
Bringing Specialized Care Closer to Home
For people across Northwestern Ontario, accessing specialized healthcare can mean travelling considerable distances. For Chris, that means travelling more than 200 km from his home in Schreiber to Thunder Bay for care.
Over the years, Chris has worked with the team through changes in his diabetes care, moving from finger-prick testing to glucose sensors and insulin pump therapy. He shares information from his pump at home, allowing his nurse and dietitian to review his readings, make adjustments when needed, and follow up with him. This means he can stay connected with his care team in Thunder Bay without travelling for every appointment.
Accessing diabetes technology can also come with significant costs. Chris says our Diabetes Health team helped him with applications through assistive devices programs and provided the training he needed to use his equipment.
While technology has made accessing care easier, Chris emphasizes the importance of having knowledgeable people available to help him understand and use it.
"Education is more than providing information," explains Deanna and Jen. "It's about helping people understand how to apply that information in their everyday lives, ask questions and feel comfortable making decisions about their health."
For Chris, that combination of technology and personalized support has helped him continue working, staying active and enjoying time outdoors.
Supporting the Whole Person
Managing diabetes involves more than monitoring blood sugar. The ongoing demands of a chronic condition can also affect a person's emotional well-being, relationships, and daily routines.
Recognizing these challenges, Diabetes Health provides access to counselling alongside clinical education and practical resources.
"Diabetes is not a personal failure, and there is so much more to living with diabetes than what someone eats or what their blood sugar happens to be on a given day," explains Deanna and Jen. "Sometimes the biggest difference is not just reflected in a blood sugar result, but in a person feeling confident enough to travel, participate in activities, enjoy meals with family or manage their diabetes at school, work or home."
For Chris, the support he received through Diabetes Health has made a lasting impression. Reflecting on his experience, he wonders where he might be today if he hadn't learned about the program.
His journey is one example of the difference specialized diabetes care can make - not only in helping people manage their condition, but in giving them the knowledge, confidence and support to continue living life on their own terms.
This World Diabetes Day, SJCG recognizes our Diabetes Health team for the expertise, compassion and commitment they bring to supporting people and families across Northwestern Ontario, helping them live well with diabetes.
For more information, please contact:
St. Joseph's Care Group
Communications & Government Relations
Media Line: 807-768-4455 | Email: sjcg@tbh.net
