One decision at a time: Barbara Weryk recognized for empowering people living with diabetes

Barbara Weryk knows what's in her campers' bags because she carries most of it herself: insulin, glucose monitors, backup supplies, an emergency plan.  Barbara has lived with diabetes for 12 years and wears an insulin pump and glucose sensor. She's also the camp nurse.
Since 2018, Barbara has volunteered at Diabetes Canada's Camp Huronda and Camp Discovery, helping create safe, welcoming camp experiences for children and youth living with Type 1 diabetes. For many campers, it's their first time away from home since being diagnosed.

People living with Diabetes make more than 180 extra decisions every day, and those decisions don’t stop at home. They follow children to school, birthday parties - and to summer camp - where parents are trusting others to help care for their child. Barbara understands the weight of that trust.  

In her day job as a diabetes nurse educator at St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s Diabetes Education Centre, Barbara helps people living with diabetes navigate those daily decisions. Supporting campers, she says, is especially rewarding.  

"As campers develop confidence managing their diabetes independently, they're often also navigating homesickness and all the challenges that come with being away from home, says Barbara. “Being able to support both their medical and emotional needs is incredibly rewarding.”

Barbara was recently recognized with the Diabetes Canada's National Volunteer Award for her compassionate approach to empowering people living with diabetes.

Extending care beyond camp

Camp nurse is just one of many hats Barbara wears in her volunteer role with Diabetes Canada. Throughout the year, she also leads educational sessions for the organization’s Virtual Diabetes Education Program, helping people across the country better understand diabetes self-management. For many participants, it may be the first time they’ve had access to a diabetes educator.

“I want people to understand the 'why' behind their treatment plan so they can build realistic routines that fit their everyday lives," says Barbara. “My explanations or analogies might be the first time everything clicks.”

Compassion beyond a diagnosis

For Barb, compassionate care begins by looking beyond a diagnosis.

"Behind every blood glucose reading, insulin dose or medical decision is a person with their own lived experience, strengths, challenges and goals," she says. "Compassion means listening first, showing patience, celebrating small victories and providing support without judgment."

Whether she's supporting a child at summer camp, educating someone through a virtual workshop or sitting with patients at the Diabetes Education Centre, Barbara's goal is always the same: helping people feel confident, supported and never alone in their diabetes journey.

It's an approach that reflects St. Joseph's mission to provide exceptional care for the body, mind and spirit—meeting people where they are, honouring what matters most to them and helping them live well with diabetes, one decision at a time.

Better care through collaboration

Barbara says receiving Diabetes Canada's National Volunteer Award reflects the people who have shaped her own journey.

"I feel very fortunate that, from day one, I received exceptional care from my own diabetes team," she says. "I know not everyone has had that same opportunity, which is why giving back is so important to me."

That experience carries into her work at St. Joseph's Diabetes Education Centre, where a collaborative approach is at the heart of patient care.

Barbara works alongside registered nurses, registered dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, endocrinologists and administrative staff to provide evidence-based, individualized care.

"Each discipline brings a unique perspective, and together with the patient we create a care plan that's tailored to what matters most to them," she says

That approach recognizes that diabetes care extends beyond managing blood sugar. It means understanding each person's goals, circumstances and lived experience while supporting their physical health, emotional well-being and confidence.

"Patients are the experts in their own lives," says Barb. "Our role is to listen, build trust and help them establish realistic goals that align with what matters most to them."

Receiving the Diabetes Canada's National Volunteer Award meaningful recognition of the work Barbara loves most.

"It recognizes something I care deeply about—giving back to my community," she says. "I know how important education and support are, and I want others to have access to those same opportunities."