For as long as he can remember, diabetes has always played an integral presence in Andy’s life.
In her youth, Andy’s grandmother didn’t pay much attention to her nutrition due to limited awareness. Thus, she approached the unfamiliar disease with excessive caution. Believing that "all sugar is bad," she cut nearly every source of sugar from her diet without understanding the balance her body needed, leading her to lose 25 pounds. It was only years later that persistent complications pushed her to research and learn how to manage her condition effectively.
Grandma with Grandpa in 2016
Andy’s father’s experience stands in contrast to that of his grandmother. Though diagnosed in a significantly more informed era, he has not taken the disease as seriously. Amid a whirlwind of professional and personal factors, health priorities have seemingly taken a back seat.
Their journeys have become a quiet but impactful experience for Andy. Whenever his grandmother visited Canada, almost a third of her luggage space was reserved for insulin bottles. They served as constant reminders of how much had already been lost, how his grandmother's life was eternally intertwined by the fluid in each of the glass vials.
Grandma ,Grandpa , Mom, sister and me in 2024
At the same time, seeing his father take his health for granted despite having every tool he needs has been equally troubling, a hushed heartbreak of what still can be prevented.
Through Sugarwise, Andy hopes to raise meaningful awareness about the levied impact of diabetes while simultaneously helping diabetics lead healthier, more fulfilling lives, free from the constraints of misinformation or limited care. On a personal level, Andy sees this organization as a testament to his father, to prove that when action is paired with awareness, that it’s never too late to take one’s health seriously.
Father and me in 2025