Diabetes Management & Support Resources

BC Children’s Hospital Diabetes Clinic

The hospital provides health services for infants, children, and adolescents with type 1 and 2 diabetes, as well as children at high risk of developing diabetes.  Tel: (604) 875-2868.  www.bcchildrens.ca

BC Healthy Communities

A Healthy Community encompasses a variety of settings including workplaces, schools, health service centres, and communities and entails collaborative partnerships and capacity building across a spectrum of multi-sectoral organizations and institutions. BC Healthy Communities works closely with communities and local governments using an upstream approach to address the range of the risk factors that are connected to creating healthier places to live, work, learn and play.  Tel: (250) 356-0876.  www.bchealthycommunities.ca

BC Health Links

BC Health Links is an on-line directory of health services available in the province of British Columbia. The links are easily accessibly for Aboriginal people living with diabetes.  Call 8-1-1 Toll-Free in BC or 7-1-1 for the hearing impaired.  www.healthlinkbc.ca

BC Healthy Living Alliance (BCHLA)

BCHLA is a group of organizations that have come together with a mission to improve the health of British Columbians through leadership that enhances collaborative action to promote physical activity, healthy eating and living smoke-free. As an advocacy group, BCHLA works with government and holds them accountable to promote wellness and prevent chronic disease.  Tel: (604) 629-1630.  www.bchealthyliving.ca

Carrier Sekani Family Support Services

This program provides mobile diabetes care services to remote rural communities. The program offers health check-ups, vision testing, and screening for Aboriginal people at risk of diabetes.  Tel: (250) 563-1281.  www.csfs.org

Canadian Institute for Health Information

The Canadian Institute for Health Information provides a series of interactive websites designed for different audiences to help them understand how well Canada’s health system is performing.  http://bit.ly/1vRYUnw

Comox Valley Nursing Station

The nursing station provides individual health assessments and health services to pregnant women who have diabetes or women with gestational diabetes.  Tel: (250) 331-8502.  www.viha.ca/comox_valley_nursing_centre

Diabetes Clinic – Lax Kw’alaams Band

This diabetes clinic provides diabetes education services with a focus on prevention. Also, they offer home visits from the community health nurse to monitor clients’ blood sugar levels, weight, and general well-being.  Tel: (250) 625-3331, Toll-Free: 1-877-725-3293.  http://www.laxkwalaams.ca/community/index.php

First Nations Health Authority

This newly established health authority has taken over federal health programs and services previously delivered by Health Canada’s First Nations Inuit Health Branch – Pacific Region to work with the province and First Nations to address service gaps through new partnerships, closer collaboration, and health systems innovation.  Tel: (604) 693-6500, Toll-Free: 1-866-913-0033.  http://www.fnha.ca/

Gitanyow Community Health Services

The band provides diabetes services and general health care such as home visits, one-on-one group counselling, blood pressure, and sugar monitoring.  Tel: (250) 849-5572.  http://www.health.gitanyow.com/communityhealth.htm

Gitsegukla Health Centre Aboriginal Diabetes Clinic

The clinic provides prevention information and education about diabetes, and offers home visits from the Community Health Nurse to monitor clients’ blood sugar levels, weight, and deliver general health services.  Tel: (250) 849-5231.  www.gitsegukla.org

Karen Graham’s blog

Karen Graham is an award winning author of many diabetes books and resources including Meals for Good Health and Complete Guide to Type 2 Diabetes.  Her blog provides valuable information and advice on diabetes management and plenty of diabetes resources and tools to live healthier with diabetes.  www.karengraham.ca

Living Systems Counselling

The program provides professional counselling for individuals, couples, and families to address a range of issues, including chronic health and medical issues such as diabetes.  Tel: (604) 926-5496.  http://www.livingsystems.ca/

Mobile Diabetes Clinic, Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS)

CSFS offers patient education programs throughout the province that provide information and teach practical skills on managing type 2 diabetes. The program imparts the skills needed for day-to-day management of diabetes and prevention of complications.  Tel: (250) 567-2900.  http://www.csfs.org/services/mobile-diabetes

North Shore Neighbourhood House

North Shore Neighbourhood House (NSNH) is building safe, healthy and strong communities, welcoming all ages, abilities and cultures – one where everyone has access to support, everyone is included, and where everyone matters. NSNH has various physical activity programs for injury prevention and rehabilitation as well as diabetes prevention.  Tel: (604) 987-8138.  www.nsnh.bc.ca

Osoyoos Indian Band Health Services

The program provides diabetes screening & assessment as well as offers education through diabetes management classes. They also offer individual assessment, family-based classes, counselling, and diabetes management supplies.  Tel: (250) 498-3444 – ext: 132, Toll-Free: 1-888-498-3444.  http://oibdc.ca/

Providence Health Care (PHC)

PHC provides a variety of diabetes education and disease management programs to people with diabetes and their caretakers, including diabetes education classes as well as self-care and caretaker-oriented sessions.  Tel: (604) 806-9090.  http://www.providencehealthcare.org/

Public Health Association of BC (PHABC)

PHABC is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and promote the public’s health. The association works toward this mission through its activities in disease and injury prevention, health promotion, health protection, and advocacy for healthy public policy. The association was founded in 1953 and is a provincial branch of the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA).  Tel: (250) 595-8422.  http://www.phabc.org

Self-Management BC

This website provides information on self-management of health conditions for the general public and health care professionals who work with patients.  http://www.selfmanagementbc.ca/

Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre Diabetes Program

The program offers one-to-one exercise rehabilitation sessions for individuals following illness, injury or sustained period of inactivity. It is especially designed for motor vehicle or work-related injuries, many types of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiac conditions, post-surgical rehabilitation, fracture or joint replacement and other musculoskeletal disorders.  Tel: (250) 753-4417.  www.tillicumlelum.ca

Vancouver Coastal Health Authority Diabetes Clinic

The clinic helps Aboriginal people with diabetes to live healthier through a range of services and support systems including educational programs and individual counselling.  Tel: (604) 736-2033, Toll-Free: 1-866-884-0888.  click here for link

Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA)

VIHA provides health care to more than 765,000 people on Vancouver Island, the islands of the Georgia Strait, and in the mainland communities north of Powell River and south of Rivers Inlet.  Tel: (250) 370-8699, Toll-Free: 1-877-370-8699.  http://www.viha.ca

Vancouver Native Health Society (VNHS)

VNHS delivers unique programs and services from the four quadrants of the medicine wheel: the physical, the emotional, the spiritual and the mental aspects of the individual.  Tel: (604) 254-994.  http://www.vnhs.net/

BC Action Schools

BC Action Schools develops and provides diabetes resources to educators and youth, encouraging and increasing physical activity at schools.  Tel: (604) 738-2468, Toll-Free: 1-800-565-7727.  http://www.actionschoolsbc.ca/

BC Food Security Gateway

The Food Security Gateway is designed to be a “one stop” web resource for food security practitioners and others in British Columbia who want to make “healthy eating the easy choice” and build food-secure communities. The Gateway is meant to inform and link you to projects, initiatives and organizations in British Columbia as well as publications, tools, guides, news and events – so that you, too, can contribute to building a healthier BC.  http://www.bcfoodsecuritygateway.ca/

BC Northern Health

The BC Northern Health website contains individual nutrition counselling information and education material aimed to meet specific needs of Aboriginal people living with diabetes.  Tel: (250) 565-2649.  www.northernhealth.ca

Diabetes Workshop – Moricetown Band

The band provides diabetes prevention information and education. They offer literature, posters, and written information for communities and also encourage them to attend organized cooking classes, community kitchens, the Footsteps Walking program, monthly diabetes prevention meetings, and Heart Health Fairs.  Tel: (250) 847-2133, Toll-Free: 1-800-881-1218.  www.moricetown.ca

Edible Garden Project

The Project is a network of organizations and community agencies, and North Shore residents who work together to increase land use for local food production, and donate/distribute fresh locally grown produce to organizations who service community members at risk of being food insecure.  Tel: (604) 987-8138 – ext: 231.  http://www.ediblegardenproject.com

Physical Activity, Nutrition, Healthy Weights

Gitwangak Education Society

The organization is committed to providing and promoting respect for Gitksan Ayook (laws), greater unity in the community, the opportunity for life-long learning that support traditional/cultural values, healthy lifestyles and progressive technology.  Tel: (250) 849-5330, Toll-Free: 1-800-207-3441.  http://www.gitwangak.ca/

Haisla Health Centre

This centre organizes walks, health clubs, fitness programs, and diabetes management and prevention activities. The program has a Certified Diabetes Educator/Registered Nurse who helps with overall health of clients.  Tel: (250) 639-9361, Toll-Free: 1-888-842-4752.  click here for link

North Vancouver Recreation Commission (NVRC)

NVRC programs offer an amazing variety of recreational activities for people of all ages – from gardening to hiking, swimming to soccer, bridge to belly dancing. Whether you’re interested in sports, arts, fitness, health and wellness, or personal development, they have something for you.  Tel: (604) 987-7529.  http://www.northvanrec.com

Seabird Island Nutrition Counselling (SINC)

SINC provides nutrition counselling services to the Aboriginal communities of Fraser Valley. Services include diabetes & nutrition clinics, strategies to manage blood sugar levels, education on the impact of diet and exercise, individual nutrition education, and group or individual menu analysis and planning.  Tel: (604) 796-2177.  click here for link

BC Lung Association

The association has been promoting lung health and lung disease prevention for British Columbians through awareness and education. They provide many resources on quitting smoking and have culturally relevant resources for Aboriginal people.  Tel: (604) 731-5864, Toll-Free: 1-800-665-5864.  click here for link

BC Mental Health Crisis Line

310-6789 is a provincial line. No area code needed. Answered 24/7/365, it provides empowering emotional support, information on appropriate referral options and a wide range of support relating to mental health concerns. See the website for more information:  Toll-Free in BC: 1-800-661-2121.  http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/

BC Foot Care Program

The program provides assessment of clients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Educational sessions cover: gestational diabetes, insulin initiation and on-going insulin adjustments, diabetes diet and oral medication adjustments. They are primarily out-patient but will attend in-patient diabetes as required for initial teaching of newly diagnosed clients.  Tel: (604) 984-5752.  click here for link

Bounce Back Program: Reclaim Your Life

The program promotes good mental health for British Columbians and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety.  Toll-Free: 1-866-639-0522.  www.cmha.bc.ca/bounceback

Tobacco, Smoking & Diabetes, Mental Health, Foot Care, Kidney Health, Healthy Heart

Healthy Families BC

The program helps British Columbians to better manage their own health and reduce chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes, focusing on four key areas: proper nutrition, healthy lifestyles, and resources for parents, and fostering healthy communities.  https://www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca/

Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre

This centre’s mission is to help educate the public and provide professional help for many mental health disorders affecting British Columbians.  Tel: (604) 875-2084, Toll-Free: 1-800-665-1822.   http://keltymentalhealth.ca

BC YMCA Healthy Heart Program

BC YMCA Healthy Heart is a community-based cardiac prevention, rehabilitation and maintenance program, in partnership with the Fraser Health Authority and local health agencies. Since 1976, the YMCA Healthy Heart Program (formerly known as the YMCA CARE Program) has been providing a structured program for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. It is designed to help cardiovascular patients and those at risk of developing heart disease live longer and improve the quality of their lives.  www.vanymca.org

Heart and Stroke Foundation – BC and Yukon

The foundation has been promoting heart health and preventing heart disease for British Columbians through awareness and education. They provide various resources on improving heart health.  Tel: (778) 372-8000, Toll-Free: 1-888-473-4636.  https://www.heartandstroke.ca/