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November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to highlight the importance of diabetes prevention, management and care, and the dedicated professionals who make a difference in the lives of patients every day.

The newest addition to the diabetes management team is Jenna Young, PharmD, RPh, who serves as an Ambulatory Care Pharmacist at Trinity Health Medical Arts. Jenna graduated from North Dakota State University with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, followed by a Post-Graduate Year 1 (PGY1) Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Residency through the University of Minnesota. Her residency training included ambulatory care practice development, primary care, internal medicine, pain management, outpatient cardiology and teaching.

Since then, Jenna has pursued her passion for developing ambulatory care services in a variety of clinical settings, including pain management and palliative oncology. At Trinity Health, her focus is to deliver comprehensive medication management services through face-to-face patient visits, with an emphasis on diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and tobacco cessation. She collaborates closely with providers, nurse practitioners, nurses and dietitians to optimize medications, improve outcomes and enhance quality of life. Jenna also provides multidisciplinary care to patients living with diabetes in partnership with a dietitian/diabetes educator, ensuring patients receive both medical and lifestyle support. In addition, she shares her expertise by supporting pharmacotherapy education for pharmacy residents and students, medical providers and other staff.

While Jenna is the newest member of the diabetes care team, she works alongside colleagues who have been serving patients at Trinity Health for many years. One of those is Michelle Fundingsland, RDN, LRD, CDCES, a dedicated dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist, whose longstanding role has been central to helping patients understand how nutrition and lifestyle choices affect their diabetes management. Together, Jenna and Michelle provide a multidisciplinary approach that combines medication expertise with personalized nutrition support, ensuring delivery of patient-centered, comprehensive, team-based care.

Together, their expertise reflects the broader mission of Trinity Health’s diabetes program: empowering patients with the knowledge, tools and support they need to take control of their health. That commitment extends beyond the clinic through comprehensive education and management services designed to help patients prevent complications, as well as programs focused on delaying or even preventing type 2 diabetes in those at risk.

Diabetes Education & Management

People with uncontrolled diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease and are at risk for other complications such as stroke, nerve damage, amputation, loss of eyesight and problems with kidney function. Trinity Health has a care team ready for you that offers expert guidance and ongoing support to help you control your blood sugars and prevent complications.

Our team is highly trained and experienced in the most effective tips and tools to help you embrace your new lifestyle. Counseling and education are individualized for each person. We’ll help you make lifestyle changes that will impact you for the rest of your life.

Diabetes Prevention Program

The good news is that type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented in people with prediabetes through effective lifestyle programs. Nutrition is important when you have diabetes because your blood glucose levels are higher than normal. Research shows that people can lower their risk for type 2 diabetes by 58% by losing 7% of their body weight and exercising moderately 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

To help people prevent diabetes, Trinity Health’s Outpatient Nutrition services created Weigh 2 Change, a year-long lifestyle intervention program that helps people improve health and prevent type 2 diabetes. Recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Weigh 2 Change offers nutritional and exercise counseling, group support and the use of trained lifestyle coaches to help people make lasting lifestyle changes.

To be eligible for the program, participants must:

• Be at risk for or have prediabetes
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be overweight
• Not currently have diabetes
• Not be pregnant

Prior to registering, potential participants attend a “Session Zero” informational meeting, where they learn about the program to decide whether it’s right for them.

For more information about Nutrition Services, Diabetes Education and Management, and Weigh 2 Change, call 701-857-2850 or 701-857-5268. You can also learn more about services available by visiting www.trinityhealth.org/services/nutrition-services/.