It is with gratitude and distinct pleasure we write this letter on behalf of Kris Devin, our certified Diabetes, Care, and Education Specialist assigned to us at Sentara Hospital.

Our initial introduction was when Kris called to set up a consultation. M and I were shocked to receive a call on a Sunday afternoon. The tone of her voice, friendly demeanor, and willingness to listen, made us eager and excited to meet Kris in person.

We emphatically recited a plethora of concerns, goals, and aspirations for nearly 15 minutes. Kris listened patiently and only interrupted us to ask pertinent questions to ensure clarification of our concerns. The conversation flowed freely, and in layman’s terms, we could understand. That in itself was refreshing.

I mentioned I was postponing travel plans because of uncertainty on how to handle M’s current diabetes scenario. Kris went out of her way to schedule an appointment prior to our departure date so we could go ahead with our plans without hesitation.  She was amazing.

I inundated her with three weeks of food diaries, glucose readings, and a synopsis of M's diabetic journey, which began in 1999. I also sent her an extensive list of questions, as well as another list outlining our goals and aspirations.
 
We felt like we were her only client.  We called Kris twice (over low glucose readings, which made us nervous), and Kris actually called us on her day off. That speaks volumes about her professionalism, character, and her genuine interest in the well-being of her clients. She also emailed us to say, "Have a great time and enjoy yourselves".

Meeting Kris was both therapeutic and enjoyable. Diabetes is an ever-changing lifestyle with constant concerns and critical needs. Kris helped to allay our fears and general anxiety associated with living with diabetes. She made critical recommendations to M's medications, daily schedules, and exercise routines.

We shared her suggestions with M's Primary Care Physician and our representative from the Stralitz Diabetes Center. They were very comfortable with her plan of action and said we should feel confident moving forward under her direction. We were also provided with information booklets and visual aids on sensible guidelines for managing life with diabetes.

Kris boosted our spirits by commending us on our personal efforts to exercise, diligence in monitoring M's daily food intake, and regular exercise. She made us feel we were making a difference in our own lives.

We truly can’t say enough about Kris and her concern for us.  We have no doubt she will do everything in her power to help keep us on the right track. This world needs more dedicated and compassionate people like Kris Devin. You are extremely lucky to have her as part of your team. She is a credit to any organization and should be commended for her service. Kris is a consummate professional, but more importantly, a true angel to people like us. 

Please recognize Kris for her commitment to the diabetic community.  She has an incredible work ethic and capacity to listen. Her efforts have truly improved our physical and mental quality of life, as well as our confidence in successfully living and enjoying life with diabetes.

M’s A1C went below 7.0 for the first time last week.  That is highly encouraging and demonstrates the significant difference Kris has made in helping us manage his diabetes.