Meet the Team: Diabetes Wellness
November 14 is World Diabetes Day – a day to raise awareness and draw attention to some of the issues around access to diabetes care.
Indigenous people living in Canada are at the highest risk for diabetes and complications from the disease. We thought it would be important to share some resources and introduce the Stoney Health Service’s staff who support the community with education and counseling.
Read on for some diabetes information and resources.
Mary Guetg, Diabetes Nurse Educator
As a diabetes educator, Mary teaches individuals living with diabetes ways to improve their health outcomes by making lifestyle changes. That approach can include suggesting healthy food choices, increasing physical activity and decreasing sedentary time or teaching about the role of anti-hyperglycemic medications. She's helped and seen many people improve their health with the support of the Stoney Health Service's Diabetes Wellness Program.
Outside of work, Mary is passionate about road cycling and takes advantage of the weekends to hit the road, biking anywhere from Lake Louise to Okotoks. To her, working so close to the Rocky Mountains is a true benefit of the job. "Morley is in one the most beautiful areas of Alberta. Working at Stoney Health Services gives me the opportunity to appreciate the majestic Rocky Mountains everyday."
Honoured by the experience in working with the Stoney Nakoda, she enjoys getting to know the people in the community and learning about their culture. Capping off her experience, she loves her clients' sense of humour, claiming that "Stoney Nakoda people have the best sense of humour!"
Mayra Regan, Dietitian
Mayra began her career as a dietitian and worked with Mayan Indigenous communities before moving to Canada. Once here in Canada, Mayra completed a bridge program to be able to work as a registered dietitian in Nova Scotia. When she moved to Alberta, she worked at Camp Chief Hector as a food service director for a few years. She currently works with seniors with the Brenda Strafford Foundation in Calgary and at Stoney Health Services. In her personal life, Mayra is married and the mother of two kind and curious children, Annabella and Christopher and a beautiful Yorkie-Chihuhua named Lolita. Mayra enjoys swimming, dancing, boxing, biking and hiking. During her sparse quiet time, she enjoys watching movies with her husband. Mayra loves working with people and providing support to live a healthy life style. Her job has given her the opportunity to learn from the Stoney people for the past four years.
