Jessica (Man Chung) Cheung, Oak Valley Health

We are honoured to nominate Jessica Cheung, a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator at the Adult Diabetes Education Centre (ADEC), for the Nursing Hero Award.

Since joining ADEC, Jessica has been an exceptional asset to our team. Over the past 6–7 years, we have watched her grow into an outstanding healthcare provider. Despite the demands of a young family and her responsibilities as a mother, Jessica’s unwavering commitment to her patients remains steadfast. She consistently prioritizes patient needs, advocating for their best care, whether that involves adjusting education to each patient’s level or reaching out to physicians and pharmaceutical companies for compassionate assistance.

Jessica follows best practice principles diligently and leads her team by example, ensuring that her colleagues also uphold these high standards. Her dedication to patient-centered care and team growth has earned the respect and admiration of patients, colleagues, and administrative staff alike.

Knowledge and Skill
Jessica’s depth of knowledge and technical skill is unmatched. She is a trusted expert in supporting complex Type 2 diabetes patients on oral agents and insulin. Over the past two years, Jessica has expanded her expertise to insulin pump management for Type 1 diabetes patients. She invested countless hours in self-study, workshops, and webinars to master pump therapy, resulting in significant improvements in her patients’ glycemic control. Many patients have expressed deep gratitude for Jessica’s guidance in optimizing their care.

Leadership
Jessica is a natural leader. She lifts up her colleagues by providing encouragement and support without ever making them feel intimidated. She notices areas for improvement and helps her teammates grow while fostering confidence. Jessica is approachable, always willing to troubleshoot problems, share resources, or provide advice. She has become a role model for many within ADEC, leading with humility, integrity, and dedication.

Compassion
Beyond her clinical duties, Jessica is deeply involved in the broader diabetes community. As co-chair of the Community Diabetes Educator Network of Toronto (CDENT), she organizes educational webinars and workshops for diabetes educators across the region. She also assists in other clinic areas, covering inpatient diabetes education, language support, and complex patient management. Her readiness to help wherever needed has won the hearts of patients and colleagues alike.

Advocacy
Jessica’s patient-centered approach and focus on safety are exemplary. She actively engages patients in their care plans, ensuring they feel both cared for and empowered. She communicates proactively with family physicians and endocrinologists to advocate for necessary care adjustments. Her advocacy often leads to better outcomes for her patients, as she leaves no detail overlooked.

Peer Testimonials
Jessica’s colleagues hold her in the highest regard. One wrote,
“Jessica’s compassion and dedication are reflected in everything she does. She approaches every patient with empathy, sensitivity, and a commitment to providing the best experience possible. Her energy and passion for continuous learning are contagious. Jessica not only uplifts her patients but energizes her team, inspiring us all to deliver the best care.”

Patient Experience
Jessica’s exceptional impact is best captured in the words of a patient:
“Managing diabetes is a long journey, but having someone like Jessica makes all the difference. Despite living almost 40 km away, I continue to visit Oak Valley Health because of Jessica’s unparalleled care. Her expertise, compassion, and guidance have improved my quality of life dramatically. Through her support, I transitioned to insulin pump therapy, resulting in better blood sugar control, weight gain, and renewed hope for the future. Jessica listens without judgment and supports patients as true partners in their care. Thanks to her, I finally feel confident about my future living with diabetes.”

Colleague Endorsements
Jessica’s Endocrinologist colleague adds:
“Jessica’s knowledge, leadership, advocacy, and compassion make her one of the best clinicians I have ever worked with. When complex cases arise, I fully trust Jessica’s care and judgment. She continually seeks to improve by studying, asking questions, and applying new knowledge. Jessica’s work ethic is impeccable, and her initiative is unmatched—from finding compassionate medication programs to developing community resource lists for patients. Her advocacy and empathy have transformed many patient journeys. She helps patients feel heard and empowered, even in challenging circumstances.”

The Endocrinologist shares a powerful story about Jessica’s influence:
“We had a patient with Type 1 diabetes who struggled for years with suboptimal control. Initially hesitant about insulin pump therapy, this patient could have easily been written off. However, Jessica’s perseverance, empathy, and support led to a complete transformation. After a year of Jessica’s consistent encouragement, education, and advocacy, the patient embraced pump therapy and experienced a remarkable improvement in quality of life—all thanks to Jessica’s unwavering belief and care.”

Conclusion
Jessica (Man Chung) Cheung is the epitome of a Nursing Hero. Her commitment to excellence, tireless advocacy, passion for education, leadership, and profound compassion touch the lives of every patient and colleague she encounters. She exemplifies Oak Valley Health’s mission to deliver extraordinary patient experiences through a culture of care.

It is with the utmost pride, respect, and admiration that we nominate Jessica Cheung for this award. She is a true beacon of hope, compassion, and excellence in healthcare.

compassion and commitment to patient care. Any time I have a patient who is more complex whether medically or socially, I know that I can fully trust in Jessica’s care.

Jessica previously worked in a community health center. When she joined the DEC, it was clear that she was keen to take on more complex cases and was a fast learner. In our clinic, she will see and assess patients first and give her clinical impression and recommendations. I will see the patient after and complete my note with my final plan. Jessica is one of the few clinicians that I know of who will take the extra time after a full day’s clinic to review my notes. She will ask questions if she does not understand a clinical decision. She is very open to feedback in order to improve. She is aware of her learning needs and for example, improved her knowledge and skill at managing insulin pumps by doing extra training, shadowing peers and analyzing reports. I have seen her knowledge improve exponentially because of the above willingness to learn.

Jessica leads by example by showing her peers that she values lifelong learning, a positive attitude and impeccable work ethic. She supports her peers if they are overworked, always ready to step in.

Jessica is a tireless advocate for her patients. She will always go the extra mile to help. She takes this initiative herself, without even being asked. I can think of many examples, some of which include:

-She will search for compassionate programs or assist patients with trillium access if they are in financial need

-She compiled a list of affordable foot care for the entire clinic as a resource. She even sought out preferred languages for our Chinese patients and called the individual practitioners to check price and confirm availability

-If medication use is unclear, she will call a pharmacy and check on dispensing history. If there is a concern, she will advocate for blister packs, family help or community care access

-If a patient is struggling with their mental health, they often will share this with her first and she will advocate for a referral to social work or a mental health program

Above all, it is Jessica’s compassion for patients that is second to none. Many patients who attend the diabetes clinic feel that they have previously been judged for their behaviors. I have seen countless times that even after one encounter with Jessica, the patient feels heard. They let their guard down and are open and receptive to her advice and support in order to make positive changes. She is empathetic, considers their entire socio-economic state and finds a tailored approach to meet each patient where they are at.

I could go on forever, but I wish to share one last case to highlight these values in Jessica and why she is most deserving of this award. We have a patient in the DEC who has type 1 diabetes and suboptimal control for many years. Insulin pumps were discussed but the patient was reluctant. Another clinician may have thought that this patient was not motivated and given up. However, Jessica’s compassion was evident and she continued to support this patient. After working together for just under a year, this patient had a transformation. They benefited from Jessica’s close follow up and check-ins to keep them on track. They learned more about pumps from Jessica’s knowledge and became keen to start. I in fact was unsure if this patient would be the best candidate but Jessica advocated for them and promised to support them. I fully trusted her judgment. They are now doing so well and experiencing improved quality of life, directly thanks to Jessica’s care.”