Sister Kamaretha Beckert's Winelands Diabetes Centre

The Winelands Diabetes Centre in Paarl, Western Cape is both the brainchild and dream-come-true of Diabetes Nurse Educator Sister Kamaretha Beckert. The centre opened its doors in 2014.

"I've been working in the diabetes field for over 20 years. I have always wanted to provide a facility where people living with diabetes can find the right team of professionals, all under one roof, to help them along their journey," says Sister Beckert. "This holistic, multidisciplinary approach is the gold standard in optimising diabetes management today. I'm so grateful that our centre is able to offer this to our patients".

Education is key in effective diabetes management

"Diabetes mellitus is a disease that affects all aspects of life," she continues. "It should not be regarded as a debilitating illness, but rather as a condition that each patient needs to learn how to manage.

Our primary aim is to empower patients with the necessary education so that they understand how their bodies function and the effect of their medicine in controlling their diabetes. The more they know about managing the disease, the better they are able to do this and truly regain their health and wellbeing."

Managing diabetes is a team effort

Sister Beckert explains that their centre provides the professional services and expertise of a team of medical professionals. This includes Dr Stephanie Strydom, a GP with a special interest in diabetes mellitus. Dr Strydom's role is to oversee therapy and refer patients to specialists when necessary.

"We also have an in-house dietitian, psychologist and biokineticist, and we collaborate with a nearby optometrist for retinal screening. Left unmanaged, diabetes can result in a host of complications. Having a team of different healthcare providers means that any signs of complications are picked up early. Every member of our team shares a common goal of offering patients the necessary support they need to lead full, happy and normal lives. This, for us, is the most rewarding part of the diabetes journey."

Going the extra mile to help young children

Sister Beckert's main passion and area of expertise in the diabetes field is dealing with children. "Sadly, we've been seeing an increase in Type 1 diabetes in young children in recent times," she says. "And they need so much support as they have such a long journey ahead of them.

They need to know that they are not alone and that they have a team who cares about them at their side. Right from the start, we try to engage the whole family, teachers, caregivers and extended family members to support our young patients.

I know a new diabetes diagnosis is very scary, especially for the parents and grandparents of little ones. I always make myself available to offer support. I never say no to callouts to hospitals to see new young patients and their families, and my phone is never switched off. I get calls at all hours of the night, usually from concerned mothers and grandmothers. When you're lying awake and filled with anxiety, the period between 02:00 and 08:00 is a very long, very lonely time".

The Discovery Health Diabetes Care Programme makes a difference

The Discovery Health Diabetes Care Programme helps patients to actively manage their Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. They receive high quality coordinated healthcare to get the best possible outcomes. The Diabetes Care Programme, together with your Premier Plus GP, will help you to actively manage your diabetes. A Premier Plus GP is a network GP who has contracted with Discovery Health on quality-based metrics. They will charge at the agreed rate, which is fully covered by the Scheme.

The programme gives you and your Premier Plus GP access to various tools to monitor and manage your condition. They make sure you get high quality coordinated healthcare and the best outcomes. For example, you and your GP can track progress on a personalised dashboard displaying your unique Diabetes Management Score. This will help to identify the steps you should take to manage your condition and stay healthy over time. The programme also unlocks cover for valuable healthcare services from healthcare providers like dietitians and biokineticists.

Sister Beckert says the Discovery Health Diabetes Care Programme is a wonderful addition to their team efforts. The programme helps them make sure that their patients are offered optimal care. "It empowers them, incorporates all the necessary screening to prevent and detect complications, and helps to minimize hospital admissions too. The Discovery Health Diabetes Care Programme offers excellent cover. Our patients who have enrolled on the programme are in the very best hands."

Find out more about the Discovery Health Diabetes Care Programme

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