Best Foot Forward
Your compassion helps people with diabetes to step in the right direction.
For seven years, the Best Foot Forward initiative has been providing care, prevention and orthotics to people living with type 2 diabetes. Thanks to donor support, more than $52,000 has offered a lifeline to patients, helping them to avoid painful foot ulcers and lower limb amputation. Heidi Smith, Registered Nurse, and Jessica Sharp, Clinical Clerk, have been part of the program since the beginning and believe it epitomizes St. Joseph’s values of respect, excellence and compassion.
“It lets us give the best care to a patient – whole and complete care,” says Sharp.
A lifeline for at-risk populations
St. Joseph’s Primary Care Diabetes Support Program is home base for Best Foot Forward. There, primary care is provided for people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who may not have a family doctor. The Program supports individuals facing challenges that make diabetes management more complex, including financial difficulties, language barriers, and other health issues that complicate navigating the healthcare system.
Best Foot Forward was created to fill a gap in care at the Diabetes Program, where care providers were seeing some patients fall through the cracks. The goal was to prevent re-ulceration in patients who have already experienced foot ulcers, a complication of diabetes. By providing specialized orthotics, at no cost to
patients, and a robust follow-up plan, Best Foot Forward ensures that patients are given the best chance at avoiding future complications including amputation.
Since 2018, the Program has provided orthopaedic footwear to 111 patients. The custom orthotics are designed to redistribute and balance pressure across the soles of the feet. For both Smith and Sharp, the most rewarding part of working with Best Foot Forward is the opportunity to see the care through to the end. It’s more than just managing a wound; it’s about preserving people’s limbs and, by extension, their independence.
“It’s the relief on someone’s face when you tell them you can help them,” says Smith. Both Smith and Sharp are grateful for the generous donor support.
“Thank you for helping us provide the care our patients need,” says Sharp. “Your support means the world to them, and to us.” Best Foot Forward is more than just a treatment plan, it’s a testament to the power of community support, compassion and the dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to ensure that patients receive the care they deserve. Through their work, Smith, Sharp and the entire team are making a lasting difference, one step at a time.
Your Donation Matters Here
Your gift will help provide specialized treatment that can extend, improve and save lives.