"I cannot praise Active Lifestyles enough"

Having been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes early in 2011, and having also been fed 4 different sets of opinions and instructions by 4 different heath professionals, I came to the conclusion that it was time to do my own research with the help of the internet before I saw the 5th professional and perhaps got yet another set of conflicting opinion. My research was thorough and comprehensive and I learned that it appeared that the only person who actually seemed to know what they were talking about was in fact my GP.

Therefore it was with something of an air of "oh lord, here we go again..." that I kept my first appointment with "Active Lifestyles". I already considered my condition to be pretty much a personal insult delivered by whatever deity was in charge that day, so I was not in the best of moods.

So ther I was, sitting in a small waiting area on the 1st floor of Kingston Medical Centre; bored because all the literature seemed to be aimed at either drug users or sexually irresponsible teenagers or the elderly, (I'm only 65! A mere stripling I tell you...); when a bright female voice called my name - not that patronising first-name job that gets my back up; but my actual name and title.

That was how I met Laura Harris; within half an hour we were on first-name terms and it was also very clear that this was someone who really knew what she was talking about,I mean really knew...

From that point on, I found Laura to be enthusiastic, friendly, firm when she needed to be, (OK, I admit I don't always like doing as I'm told); helpful, encouraging and, above all, thoroughly dedicated to her profession.

In the year that followed, I have lost some weight, completely re-thought my reaction to diabetes; regained the self-confidence I'd started to lose, found a new enthusiasm for life and most importantly, found a good friend whose judgement and expertise I can and shall trust implicitly in the future.

I cannot praise "Active Lifestyles" - and of course, Laura Harris - enough. It is entirely due to her attitude and care that I am now looking forward to a time when I may well beat my diabetes and regain my energies and fitness once more. I am so very pleased to be able to pass this opinion on to you, so that people like Laura might be recognised for the true values they bring to the profession.