Jenna Lambert's Story

Operation Better Start Helps Jenna Find the Right Path

When Jenna Lambert was a young girl, she was always very thin and fit, but at the age of seven, her mother started noticing changes. Jenna was gaining weight, and by 2008, the just over five-foot teenager was 184 pounds.

Pamela Lambert had some years before been in touch with the Operation Better Start program, but significant personal factors had prevented her from keeping Jenna in the program. In 2008, when Jenna was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, she went back to Operation Better Start, and, as a result Jenna's life has changed for the better.

"Our nutritionist at Operation Better Start showed us how to portion Jenna's food, how to count carbohydrates and determine the right meals and snacks for her," said Pam. "We had to get her on the right foods and also increase her exercise, all of which they helped us to do. She does 30-minutes of cardio workout two days a week, and it's made a big difference."

Jenna is a quiet young woman with developmental disabilities, and Pam says she has noticed a distinct change in her daughter since working with Operation Better Start and Lisa Kuczarski, a Registered Dietitian and Pediatric and Adolescent Nutrition Specialist for the BHS program. "Jenna is far more active and she no longer has sore legs or back pain. She walks longer than she ever did before. I love Lisa. All of her feedback and nutritional information has helped us so much. It wasn't easy, but we're now in a very good pattern that's had a tremendous impact on Jenna's health."

Jenna Lambert has lost over 30 pounds since she began working with Operation Better Start, and her mother can't be prouder. "Jenna has done an awesome, awesome job. She's worked so hard and this is a permanent lifestyle for her."