In July of 2015 I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I was 128 pounds overweight and I was in a wheelchair, because walking distances was hindered by my weight. The woman I would like to recognize is Barb McDonald. She was the one educator who gave me facts straight forward and she said you must be upfront and honest with yourself.

So I signed up for the class. It gave me insights on how to make better choices with meals, showed me the ways to read and understand food labels, and I learned the importance of proteins, carbs, and sugars.

Barb took me under her wing and over time I was actually able to get rid of the wheelchair and I lost over 123 pounds. I was close to 367 pounds before, but today I'm at 243. My A1C is at 4.1 today and when I came into her class I was at a staggering 12.1 A1C. My sugar count was in the 200s a lot. Today it’s usually between 83 and 112.

It was her belief I could do this, and with her help I succeeded and won. That's why I believe she needs to be recognized because she made me become a believer and a fighter. Together we did it.