JoAnn's story began before she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Her mother, grandfather and grandmother all had it. By the time she was diagnosed in 1985, she'd already seen how her family coped with diabetes: they ignored it.

"No one in my family took it seriously," says JoAnn. "Our history was 'Do what you want.'"

JoAnn knew well the toll diabetes could have on a life. Her mother suffered serious health problems requiring frequent visits to the emergency room. It was during these visits that she vowed the cycle would end with her.

"I was eating out of vending machines, forgetting my medicine and watching my mother struggle. And it hit me. This could be me someday, if I don't make some changes," she recalls.

With the support of her family, JoAnn began to educate herself. The more she learned, the more she realized the power to better manage her diabetes was in her hands. She saw that proper nutrition, exercise and blood sugar monitoring would help her succeed. Her doctor also suggested insulin.