Advocate for Community Based Diabetes Care Retires
Jane Blears dedicated over 20 years to diabetes care

Orangeville, ON, October 13, 2009 - “The time has gone by fast. Many of the children I worked with are now adults, it is going to be difficult to say goodbye to them,” says Jane Blears, Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator at Headwaters Health Care Centre. Jane joined the Dufferin Area Hospital in 1977 as a Registered Nurse and has devoted the last 20 years to diabetes care and education for clients and their families.

Headwaters’ Diabetes Care team have designed and implemented diabetes care programs for people with diabetes as well as training courses for health care providers focusing on the skills, attitudes and on how care is provided in order to improve the lives of people living with diabetes. Jane and long time colleague Kathryn MacDonald, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator pioneered the Diabetes Care Program at Headwaters and are recognized across the province as advocates for community-based, multidisciplinary diabetes care. “Jane is well known at Headwaters where she has worked with diabetes clients and their families in Dufferin and Shelburne for the past 20 years. Her legacy of first class diabetes care will continue on in our community and at Headwaters Health Care Centre,” says Dr. Gord Willans.

“It was Jane’s reputation as a diabetes educator which cemented my interest in joining Headwaters’ Diabetes Care Program. Today the hospital provides adult, paediatric and gestational diabetes care, and our diabetes educators work with adults with complex insulin regimes. We all will miss Jane tremendously,” says Dr. Clarke, Endocrinologist, Diabetes Care Program, Headwaters Health Care Centre.

“Headwaters’ Diabetes Care Program provides a quality and level of service not available to communities of a similar size,” says Dr. Ron Murphy, Paediatrician at Headwaters Health Care Centre.

“Her work in patient-centred diabetes care has built Headwaters’ Diabetes Care Program into a model for other communities. The work Jane and her colleagues have done to provide community diabetes care has ensured that individuals living with diabetes, those newly diagnosed and those at risk of developing diabetes have access to the program whether or not they have a family physician,” says Liz Ruegg, Vice President of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Executive, Headwaters Health Care Centre. 

The Diabetes Care team acts as coaches and cheerleaders by listening, reflecting and having respect for people's experiences with diabetes. “Our role as diabetes care providers is to empower and provide hope. We support a person’s choices in a non-judgmental manner that builds an ongoing, trusting relationship,” says Kathryn MacDonald, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator.

“Jane’s commitment to the diabetes program and passion to improve the quality of life for both adult and paediatric patients is commendable,” says Ruegg. “The hospital thanks her and wishes her an enjoyable and well-earned retirement.”

Headwaters’ Diabetes Care Program
The Diabetes Care Program offers services for adults and children diagnosed with diabetes and those at risk of developing diabetes. All programs offer individual assessment, care, education and group information sessions. Health specialists on the team include registered nurses, registered dietitians, physicians and a paediatric social worker. For more information on Headwaters’ Diabetes Care Program please call 519-941-2702 ext. 2525 or visit the hospital website at www.headwatershealth.ca and select patient care services on the home page.

About Headwaters Health Care Centre
Headwaters Health Care Centre serves more than 110,000 residents in Caledon, Orangeville, Shelburne and Dufferin County. The hospital operates two sites – Headwaters Orangeville, a 108 bed acute care hospital and Headwaters Shelburne, a 33 bed chronic care hospital. Visit www.headwatershealth.ca.

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