Russell McCoy of Hannibal, Missouri, was diagnosed with diabetes about 10 years ago. Russell eventually developed problems with his vision and four years ago discovered he was suffering from Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). DME is a complication of diabetes that can eventually lead to permanent vision loss. Russell received treatment for DME and went about his daily life. Russell’s A1C level and weight were both up and he realized it was time for a change towards better health and management of his diabetes. Russell tried dieting and would find himself losing weight, but as soon as he stopped the diet the weight would come right back.
In September of 2020, Russell saw an article on a program offered by the registered dietitians at Hannibal Regional Hospital. After reading the article he decided to schedule a private consultation with one of the dietitians to learn more about the program. The program was designed to give each person a better understanding of nutrition, exercise, food groups, eating habits, and how to apply this knowledge to support a new lifestyle. Russell made the decision to commit to the program. He exceeded his weight loss goal during the program and lost almost 30 pounds in just eight weeks. He felt better, had more energy and his A1C level dropped.
Today Russell continues to live a healthy lifestyle and has lost a total of 50 pounds. He is now able to maintain a healthy weight and A1C level with limited medications. Russell has become an advocate for educating others on the maintenance and prevention of diabetes. He continues to speak at diabetes classes at Hannibal Regional and connect with patients going through similar lifestyle changes as he went through. Russell has also become a spokesperson for an eye pharmaceutical that has helped improved his Diabetic Macular Edema. He is an inspiration and in November of 2023 was awarded the Spirit of Health Award given by the Hannibal Regional Diabetes Center.
“I am so grateful for the support system that I found at Hannibal Regional. The entire Diabetes Center team has made a huge impact on my life. All the programs and education that I was offered through Hannibal Regional has been amazing. The thing I cannot stress enough is education is key. Ask questions, learn about the disease you are dealing with, learn about complications from the disease and about medications. If I would have understood 10 years ago when I was diagnosed with diabetes that I could have a complication that would affect my vision, I would have made changes a lot sooner to my lifestyle.”
Russell continues to attend the quarterly Diabetes Education Classes and the weekly Health Accountability Support Group offered at Hannibal Regional. If you are interested in making a change in your lifestyle or would like to learn more about the nutrition programs offered at Hannibal Regional, visit hannibalregional.org/nutrition or call 573-629-3382.