Care Opinion

Text size

Theme

Language

Help with language translation
Help with reading or listening

How the Right Support Helped Me Lower My A1C

Posted By Grateful Warrior

"How the Right Support Helped Me Lower My A1C"

About: Calgary Foothills PCN

(as a service user),

In 2025, I was diagnosed with diabetes with an initial A1C of 11. I began treatment with Metformin and dietary changes, and I was referred to Registered Nurse Nancy, who immediately started providing both medical guidance and emotional support from day one.

2025 was an extremely difficult year for me. I lost my job, and my father‑in‑law passed away, creating a lot of stress and a challenging environment for my entire family. Through all of this, Nancy was there genuinely caring about my feelings, understanding my personal situation, and giving me the right medical advice when I needed it most.

Thanks to that support, and with the help of my family, one year later I have reduced my A1C to 6.5, and I’m still working to bring it even lower in the coming months. It hasn’t been easy, but having the right people around me including dedicated professionals like Nancy made it possible to overcome such a difficult time.

More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Kimberly Lewis, Project Coordinator, Projects & Partners, Calgary Foothills Primary Care Network 3 weeks ago
Kimberly Lewis
Project Coordinator, Projects & Partners,
Calgary Foothills Primary Care Network

Submitted on 2026-04-17 at 9:17 AM
Published on Care Opinion Canada at 10:02 AM

picture of Kimberly Lewis

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience with our pharmacist, Nancy.

We’re really glad that you felt supported both medically and emotionally during what sounds like a challenging time. It’s wonderful to hear that you’ve been able to lower your A1C. That’s a meaningful achievement and really demonstrates the value of receiving the right care when you need it most.

Feedback like this means a great deal to our staff. Knowing they’ve made a positive difference in someone’s health journey is incredibly rewarding.

I will share your kind words with Nancy, her program manager, and our senior leadership team.

I also noticed that you selected patient engagement as a possible area for improvement. If you’d like to provide any additional thoughts or suggestions, we would welcome you to share them here. Hearing directly from patients is essential in helping us learn and continuously improve the care we provide.

Kind Regards,

Kim Lewis

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Grateful Warrior (a service user)

Hello Kim,

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I truly appreciate it, and I hope it can inspire others who may be going through a similar situation. I would be grateful if you could please share my gratitude with Nancy and her supervisor.

Regarding the area of opportunity, what I meant is that it would have been even more beneficial if I had been able to start working with Nancy a few months earlier. I understand this is outside of your control. My suggestion would be to ensure that family doctors in the area can refer patients to your team as early as possible so they can begin working on the right strategy as soon as practical.

Thank you again.

Response from Kimberly Lewis, Project Coordinator, Projects & Partners, Calgary Foothills Primary Care Network 3 weeks ago
Kimberly Lewis
Project Coordinator, Projects & Partners,
Calgary Foothills Primary Care Network

Submitted on 2026-04-17 at 12:14 PM
Published on Care Opinion Canada at 12:16 PM

picture of Kimberly Lewis

Thank you for your response and for sharing further what can be improved in the system. You're right that we don't have direct control over when referrals come to us. However, it's still very valuable for us to understand your experience. In primary care, early intervention is important - and your words serve as a reminder to keep striving to make that happen.

I have shared your story with Nancy, her manager, and the senior leadership team. I'm sure reading it will put a smile on all of their faces!

Warm Regards,

Kim

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k