Earlier this year, Missy Jackson started a quest: to take her prediabetes down. Way down. Just a few months in, Missy is 20 pounds lighter and well on her way.
It all started when Missy went in for a routine doctor’s appointment. She found out that her blood sugar was higher than normal and headed toward diabetes. She'd seen the disease hurt her friends and family – and knew knew she had to do something.. So when she discovered a diabetes prevention class offered by Carolinas HealthCare System, she jumped at the chance to join it. “I wanted to try to help myself,” says Jackson, who’s married with a teenage daughter. The class, a National Diabetes Prevention Program course, was offered as part of Carolinas HealthCare System’s Pre-D Challenge: Reverse the Risk, an effort to stop Type 2 diabetes by catching it before it starts. Missy, like thousands of others screened as part of the effort, had prediabetes, a condition of higher-than-normal blood sugar that can lead to Type 2 diabetes. The class Missy joined empowers its participants with tools and support to help them lower their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The 16-week program focuses on practical ways to eat better, increase activity and lose weight – all of which help to lower your chances of developing diabetes. “I learned so much – from our excellent instructor, but also from the others in the program,” says Missy. “We did a lot of sharing and supporting each other. I could see a transformation in just about everyone who took the class.” Missy’s biggest transformation? Going from relatively inactive to walking nearly every day – and even completing her first 5K. “It was such a great feeling – it felt like Christmas Day,” she says of the experience. And she knows it’s one of the new healthy habits that will keep her on track as she continues to fight prediabetes.Interested in learning your chances of developing diabetes, joining one of our prevention programs, or getting connected to other diabetes resources? Take the Pre-D Challenge!
