Geckle Diabetes & Nutrition Center at GBMC
Providing personalized diabetes self-management training, nutrition education, and emotional support to help people achieve optimal health
The Geckle Diabetes and Nutrition Center is here to support you in managing type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes through personalized care, education, and training. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and skills to confidently take control of your diabetes and improve your overall health and well-being.
Expert Team
Our team of Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (CDCES), all registered dietitians, works closely with you to create a customized diabetes management plan. We understand that every individual is unique, so we ensure that your care plan aligns with your lifestyle, health needs, and personal goals.
What We Offer
- Diabetes Self-Management Education recognized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), ensuring you receive high-quality, evidence-based care
- Hands-on training in blood glucose monitoring, insulin pump therapy, and the use of continuous glucose sensors, essential tools for managing diabetes
- Guidance on nutrition, meal planning, and physical activity to help you maintain better blood sugar control
- Support in understanding how medications impact blood sugar levels and how to incorporate them into your overall care plan
- Ongoing coaching to help reduce the risk of complications and improve your quality of life
Beyond Diabetes Care
In addition to diabetes management, our registered dietitians provide Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) for patients with Stage 3 and Stage 4 kidney disease. This therapy helps to slow disease progression and manage symptoms with personalized dietary guidance.
Why Choose Geckle?
- An ADA-recognized program, ensuring you receive the latest evidence-based practices in diabetes care
- A comprehensive, patient-centered approach to managing your diabetes and improving your health outcomes
- A focus on education, empowerment, and long-term health to support you in living a more active, fulfilling life
At the Geckle Diabetes and Nutrition Center, we’re here to support you every step of the way with the resources, expert advice, and ongoing support you need to live a healthier life.
Getting out of the Prediabetes 'Danger Zone'
More than 29 million people in the United States have diabetes, but many more are at risk and are living with a condition called prediabetes. Patients whose blood glucose is too high to be considered normal but are not diabetic are considered to be in the danger zone.
New Patients
If you have already scheduled an appointment, you may download and print our forms below. We ask you to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time so that registration can be completed.
Please:
- If possible, keep a record of all the foods and beverages you eat and drink for 2 to 3 days prior to your visit. Include a description and amounts. If you prefer to use our form to record this information, please click on the link below to download and print the form.
- If you have diabetes and are checking your blood glucose levels, please bring your meter and records of your blood glucose results.
Forms
Please click on the link below to download and print the forms. If you are unable to print the forms, please call us. We will be happy to mail copies to you.
IMPORTANT: Completion of these forms in advance and arriving 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time will speed your check-in process and will ensure that your visit runs smoothly. If you wait until the time of your visit to complete your forms we will not be able to see you on time. If you arrive 20 minutes after your scheduled time, we will almost certainly need to reschedule your appointment.
For Patients with NON-Diabetes Medical Nutrition Therapy Appointment:
For Physicians:
Patient Resources
Patient Stories
- Aaron, a newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes patient with an A1c of 14.8%, arrived at the Geckle Diabetes and Nutrition Center anxious and overwhelmed, grappling with a confusing insulin regimen and a painful continuous glucose monitor (CGM) site. His CGM falsely indicated low blood sugar, prompting him to consume juice prior to the visit, yet an in-office check revealed his blood sugar was over 500 mg/dl. After physical evaluation by the educator, an infected wound at the CGM site was identified to be the culprit. Despite his hesitation to visit the ER due to a busy work schedule and multiple doctor appointments, the Geckle Diabetes Center educator emphasized the urgency, removed the sensor, educated on safe re-placement areas to accommodate his recent weight loss, and reviewed insulin dosing and carb estimation. Aaron was sent to the ER for rehydration at the end of the visit. At his follow-up, he was confidently using his CGM, administering insulin correctly, and improving with treatment for the infection. “Thank you for caring about my health,” he said, grateful for the guidance that empowered him to manage his condition effectively. In three months, he has brought his A1c down to 7.2%.
- Jane, a 74-year-old woman with diabetes for over 10 years, struggled with poor control, with an A1c of 9.9% in April 2025. As her husband’s caretaker, she often neglected her own needs. Previously unable to use a Dexcom G7, she was referred to the Geckle Center to learn its application and data use. In May 2025, she had 19% lows and 5% very low (goal: ≤5% lows; low is defined as <70). The educator adjusted her basal insulin and guided lifestyle changes. By June, her lows dropped to 1%, with 68% of readings in the 70-180 mg/dl range (goal: >70%). She was able to independently apply the Dexcom G7, and by July, her A1c decreased to 7.4% (goal: <7% without excessive lows). Despite her husband’s passing in July, her sugars remained stable due to her good implementation of the lessons learned from Geckle. In August, lows rose to 5% with <1% very low and 66% in target, due to inconsistent eating and poor food choices. Jane is committed to further progress and will follow up with the Geckle Center, grateful for their ongoing support.
- Janice was diagnosed with diabetes on 1-29-25 with an A1C of 7.3%. She had already made some lifestyle changes before she came to her first appointment at the Geckle Diabetes and Nutrition Center on 3-6-25. She wanted to get her A1C below 7% without medication and maybe even back into the normal range of 4.0 – 5.6%. When she came back for a second appointment at the Geckle Center on 5-22-25 she had already had her A1C taken on 5-14-25 and it was now in the normal range at 5.4%. Janice has lost a total of 19# since her diagnosis 4 months ago. An interesting comment made by Janice was that until she started feeling so much better (by being more active and eating healthier), that she didn't even realize how bad she had been feeling. She didn't know that she could feel better until she did feel better. She just thought that how she was feeling was what aging felt like. She is now more active doing strength, cardio and yoga workouts and getting more than 10,000 steps daily. Her food tastes so much better since she eliminated all the junk from her diet. She did admit that her diet was horrible in 2024. When asked where she got the motivation to make the drastic changes needed to change her health, she said that the educator she worked with told her “that you can do this. I believed her, and I did it!”
Patient Quotes
- "I have my husband back!"
- "Thank you for being my advocate!"
- “I love coming to my appointments because you always have such good ideas that get me excited.”
- "You're uplifting to talk to!"
Allison Ashcraft, MS, RD, LDN, CDCES
Sheila Sweeney
Ryan Toth
