A Letter from Diabetes Canada

know the struggles of having diabetes and having to deal with it every day. I can’t wait to see them all again when I return to camp next year in the summer.

It’s a struggle to live with diabetes. Having always to explain what it is and how it works whenever I meet new people, all the pain that comes along with it, and not to mention all the scars and wounds I have due to applying my pods and pricking my finger. It’s also hard to go to a school where only one other girl has diabetes, and she’s not even in my grade. Even my own family doesn’t understand the constant battle, although my mom tries very hard to help me overcome any pains or troubles that come along with it.

And it’s more than just physical pain; it is emotionally painful to have diabetes too.

I have to live with the fact that it is going to take a while for a cure to be found, and while there have been many technological advancements, it doesn’t quite compare to being diabetic free. This thought used to upset me a lot, and after my mom had tucked me into bed, I would cry myself to sleep. I have outgrown this trend, and I have accepted the fact that, for most of my life, I will live with diabetes and have to deal with it.

There are a few perks to being diabetic, though. For example, if I wasn’t diabetic, I would never have met my friends at my camp. Another perk is that whenever my family and I go to an amusement park, we will get fast passes for my diabetes, which is always lovely, especially when you have a family of six.

Being diabetic has also taught me multiple lessons, such as responsibility, to always be careful, and not to take life for granted. I value these lessons every day, and they have helped me through my life. I now know how to be responsible with my diabetes and with other aspects of my life, to always come prepared, and to have fun as I grow older and make new memories with my friends and family. I know to always be cautious but also to not let diabetes be the center of my life at all times.

Dear Women with Passion and Purpose,

Thank you for volunteering your time and energy to raise funds in support of Diabetes Canada D-Camps.

Every dollar you raise helps to make an authentic camp experience possible for children and youth with type 1 diabetes.

For many families who are struggling with the cost of diabetes care, sending their kids to camp would be out of reach without funding support from caring community partners like you. Your contributions also help to ensure doctors, nurses and dieticians are on-site around the clock to keep campers healthy and safe. And you enable camps to replenish equipment such as canoes, ping pong balls, and arts and crafts supplies, to make the camp experience the best it can be.

Children with type 1 diabetes can sometimes feel isolated in their day-to-day lives. At D-Camps, they are surrounded by other kids as well as many camp counsellors who have type 1 diabetes – creating a sense of belonging. Meeting and connecting with other kids who share the same experiences they do is incredibly empowering. D-Camps also give campers the opportunity to develop confidence in their diabetes management.

Your generous support makes it all possible.

On behalf of families in your community affected by diabetes and all of us at Diabetes Canada, thank you again for all that you do to help give kids with type 1 diabetes an unforgettable camp experience.

Sincerely,

Mary Ann Azzarello VP Fund Development

Eva

1300 – 522 University Avenue Toronto, ON, M5G 2R5 Call us: 1-800-BANTING (226-8464) Diabetes.ca

Jenny Yemen Barrett

I celebrated my 36th birthday this year. That marks 27 birthdays with Type 1 Diabetes.

Twenty-seven years of finger pokes, insulin shots, countless doctors appointments with countless types of doctors, anger management, counselling, carbohydrate counting, pregnancy battles, depression, anxiety, feeling left out, struggling to find ways to wear bathing suits and dresses with an insulin pump, too many highs and lows to count, ketoacidosis, hospital stays, emergency room visits, and almost becoming completely blind in one eye. Tears, fear and disappointment.

But you know what else I’ve done in those 27 years?

I’ve made lifelong friendships both at school and with other diabetic kids at Camp Huronda. I earned my driver’s license. I went to university where I lived in residence and graduated with honours. I moved across the country on my own. I’ve travelled the world. I started a career and then my own business. I fell in love, got married, and birthed two of the most adorable little girls in this world.

Technology over the last 27 years has made insulin pumps smaller and more powerful making it easier to be more accurate with our insulin doses and carbohydrate ratios.

We’re less than two years away from a truly artificial pancreas. Glucose sensors have advanced to the point where finger poking is almost obsolete. Surgical technology

has become so advanced that an excellent surgeon saved me from going completely blind.

I have hope that through genetic testing, doctors may be able to prevent my daughters from ever getting diabetes not to mention the hope I have that diabetes may actually be cured in my lifetime. Twenty-seven years ago that hope didn’t seem realistic.

I spent most of my youth being told that my Type 1 Diabetic father had a life expectancy of 50.

Now at 60 and in excellent health, I get to watch him play with his granddaughters. After more than 30 years of working as a doctor, something he accomplished despite his diabetes, he now struggles to decide what to do with the retirement years he never thought he’d have the gift of.

As a motivational quote reminded me “You may see me struggle, but you will never see me quit”.

Jenny Yemen Barrett

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Dianne Ridge

I was asked to tell you about my journey through my life as a Type 1 Diabetic. “Well so far at least.”

I was diagnosed at age 12 years and have had many challenges throughout my 58 years of diabetes management.

Early on in this challenge I had to learn how to give myself insulin after being in the hospital for three weeks to learn about diet and insulin relationship, exercise but most of all attitude to care for my disease.

My journey of 58 years as a diabetic, this far has had many opportunities to learn how to be as healthy as I could be. My approach when I was 12 was to be like my friends in school and not become a child with a lifelong disease. I was taught about Type 1 diabetes from my endocrinologist who was instrumental in adjusting my outlook and what I could achieve in my life.

I finished high school and university and then was employed as a Pharmaceutical Representative and eventually as a manager with the company. Life was busy when I was in my 20 & 30s and at times had to make sure my diet, exercise and insulin all worked in harmony. Depending on my working day I was always aware that I must take care of myself in order to fulfill my health regime. I was very fortunate to have the support of my endocrinologist, dietician and diabetes nurse practitioner for any advice that I needed to do my job and enjoy life.

I am now 70 years old and still keeping exercise as a daily objective to regulate my blood sugar levels, the invention of insulin pumps and peripherals helps to keep blood sugars in the best range as we can.

There is no cure as of now but there are many tools to help us. As insulin therapy evolves and makes our diabetes management easier, we can feel well, be healthy and live a good productive life.

Dianne Ridge

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Sarah Snider Community Engagement Coordinator Hamilton & District Branch FOR MORE INFORMATION

P: 905-540-2515 E: sarah.snider@diabetes.ca

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