Melissa Young recalls being diagnosed with diabetes in her late teens and for much of her life not being able to keep her A1C level under control.

It took meeting with her medical providers and having ongoing conversations with her health and wellness coach to find the right treatment and stick to a wellness plan before her life turned a corner.

“It made a tremendous difference in my life,” said Young, 54. “I have grandkids I want to be around for, and I saw myself going down a very slippery slope. This gave me a lot more confidence about myself.”

About one in three people across the U.S. might have prediabetes. This means that more than 96 million American adults have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels that could lead to being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

Erica Moore, diabetes education program manager for Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, has worked for 24 years educating the public about paying attention to physical health and being aware of how diabetes can affect one’s body.

“We want people to learn more about diabetes, get tested and take it seriously about the fact that it is manageable, and you can prevent Type 2 diabetes,” Moore said. “It’s all about quality of life.”

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System hosts a variety of classes and promotes additional resources to help people along their journey of living healthy.

SRHS recently earned FullPlus recognition from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for both in-person and distance learning Diabetes Prevention Programs. 

Medical Group of the Carolinas – Diabetes Education works with patients on a year-long diabetes prevention program called Prevent T2.

Participants in Prevent T2 will work with a trained lifestyle coach and other participants to learn the skills needed to make lasting changes. The lifestyle coach also works closely with participants to teach them to eat healthy, add physical activity to daily routines, manage stress, stay motivated and solve problems that can get in the way of healthy changes.

Young said she has been sticking to her new treatment plan since September 2022 and has never looked back. She said she has lost 36 pounds and went from a size 18 to a size 10. She still communicates with her health and wellness coach.

“I now wake up ready to face the day instead of just wanting to pull the covers over myself,” Young said.

For more information on additional resources or future Prevent T2 sessions, contact Madison Pate at [email protected].