As a husband, father and 27-year veteran Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue, Jason Calkins has always prioritized caring for others.
“I have a genuine love of caring for other people and being there in their time of need,” he says.
When a routine medical visit uncovered serious health issues, Calkins soon realized he would need to put himself first in order to get his health back on track. With the help of his nurse practitioner, Gina Rekers, he did just that.
Ear Pain to Diabetes Diagnosis
Thanks to easy access to medical care through his employer, Calkins was able to get in quickly to see Rekers when he experienced ear pain in August 2025. Rekers serves the City of Neenah in her role as a nurse practitioner with ThedaCare At Work.
When Rekers began taking Calkins’ vitals, a problem quickly emerged.
“We discovered he had dangerously elevated blood pressure, with a systolic number over 200,” she says.
Though Calkins, 47, sees the fallout of poorly controlled health conditions in his work all the time, he admits he was initially in a bit of denial about his own health. He declined to seek emergency care for his high blood pressure that day but agreed to return for a full physical the following week. It was then that he and Rekers began to unpack more of his health issues.
At Calkins’ physical, he learned he also had uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. At the same time, his weight had crept up to 460 pounds. Though that weight was spread across a 6-foot-6-inch frame, Calkins still had a body mass index of 52, which put him in the severely obese range. From there, his mindset shifted, and he immediately decided to make changes.
“What motivated me to commit to them was seeing the outcomes of patients that we helped through my work and knowing how serious these issues could be,” he says.
Determination Discovered
Though Calkins did agree to take the metformin Rekers prescribed for his diabetes, he also wanted to address the root causes of his health problems. He first set his sights on overhauling his diet.
“I always tell everyone: I was good at gaining weight and losing weight. I was never good at maintaining weight,” he says.
Taking that into consideration, Calkins, a captain and mechanic with the fire department, knew he needed an eating plan he could stick to for the long term.
“I wanted to come up with something that didn’t feel like a diet. It felt like a lifestyle change,” he says. “For me, an ultra-low-carb, non-processed diet seemed like something I could stick to. Now, after doing it for a couple of months, it’s probably the best decision I’ve ever made. It’s something I plan to stick to for the rest of my life.”
Similar to his eating habits, Calkins says his commitment to exercise had fluctuated over the years. When he searched for what might work for him, it didn’t take long to find an answer. It has four legs, an irresistible face, a friendly disposition and an insatiable appetite for walks. His name is Hoss, and he’s a Burmese Mountain Dog who offers powerful motivation.
“One of the biggest changes I decided to make was instead of spending an hour on my phone or watching a TV show, I decided just to walk my dog,” Calkins says. “He’s the best workout companion you can ask for. He never complains. He’s always eager to go. We walk for one TV show an hour a day.”
Calkins often up-levels his daily walks with the addition of wearing a 50-pound rucksack. He’s also incorporated weightlifting back into his routine.
Partner in Health
As Calkins has made positive changes for his health, he’s stayed in close consultation with Rekers, who’s only a call or MyThedaCare message away. She serves as medical expert, sounding board and cheerleader.
“I think Jason’s attitude was really… ‘It was my choices that got me into this situation. It’s going to be my choice that that gets me out of it,’” Rekers says. “He took the initiative and made those lifestyle changes. I was just there for support.”
ThedaCare At Work offers a variety of workplace health solutions for employers. These are designed to make it easier and less expensive for employees to access care.
“I think having access to convenient care that’s really at no direct cost to the patient is why a lot of patients like Jason seek any health care at all,” Rekers says. “My patients can come see me in the middle of their workday. They don’t have to use their vacation or their PTO to see their health care provider.”
For Calkins, it’s a formula that works.
“Knowing you have a somebody who is devoted to your care and cares about you as a person helps a lot,” he says. “Obviously, you want to do good for yourself and your family and friends, but [Gina] is a component of that too.”
Tremendous Transformation
In less than eight months, Calkins has managed to turn his health around. He’s lost around 145 pounds, come off his diabetes and cholesterol medications and brought his blood sugar level into normal range. The results astound Rekers.
“The change is crazy,” she says. “He really did it all himself. You can’t help but to just be happy and impressed about everything he’s done.”
Not only is Calkins making positive changes for himself, he’s influencing his colleagues. He’s brought healthy cooking, eating and activity habits into his firehouse.
“That means more to me than it does even with myself,” he says. “The hardest part about any aspect —— especially weight loss or health — is just to get started. Just start today, and if tomorrow is not perfect, we’ll do it again the day after. That’s the biggest part I’d like to really spread the word on.”
This June, Calkins will become a grandfather. He’s walking into that experience healthier than ever.
Calkins’ daughter, Claire, is a labor and delivery nurse at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah and soon-to-be first-time mom. His son, Cole, is following in his dad’s footsteps and becoming a firefighter. His wife, Lori, and kids remain top priorities, but he’s also making room for himself on that list.
“Deciding to prioritize yourself at least a couple hours a day has been probably one of the biggest changes for me,” he says. “Usually, it’s giving to other people or giving to your kids or your family. And now for an hour or two a day, it’s, ‘give back to yourself.’ I would rather give my help to somebody a hundred times and ask for help once. But it’s worth it to help yourself.”
Your primary care provider is your proactive partner in health.
If you’re an employer seeking an employee health solution, explore the offerings available through ThedaCare At Work.
