Geoffrey, 14 my grandson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 7. Since then I have competed in 7 endurance races and rides and have personally raised over $50,000 for JDRF. In August, this year, Geoffrey and I cycled in “Cyclebetes” the amazing across Canada bike relay to find a cure. This was biggest bike relay in the world and we raised over $16,000! The photo was taken in Burlington ON at a rest stop on Aug 30. The whole Cyclebetes event from coast to coast raised over $500,000! Want to join us next year? Go to www.cyclebetes.com or e-mail me.

I am a diabetes Champion because despite having been diagnosed at a very young age, I insist on living my life to the fullest. I do not believe in customizing my daily activities to fit into my diabetes care regimen, but rather quite the opposite. I hope that my activities as a JDRF volunteer will contribute to one day finding a cure for type 1 diabetes.
In the meantime, I own my diabetes, it does not own me!

Olivia was three years old when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Now she’s almost six. No kid should have to endure what she endures — day in, day out — but most of the time she accepts her management routine with patience and good humour.

Ella, age three, looks out for her big sister and helps Olivia whenever she can. Sometimes she comes to tell us, “Olivia’s low.” She’s very patient with her crazy Mom and Dad, who sometimes give her sister’s diabetes a bit too much attention.

Two Diabetes Champions, without a doubt!

When asked why they are Diabetes Champions, they said:

In February 2000, our son, Daniel, was diagnosed with t1 diabetes. He was almost 12 years old at the time. That was the day his life and ours changed; it was the worst day of our lives. Although the hospital staff were fabulous and gave Dan excellent care and encouragement, all we could think about was “why him – why not me?” We felt the guilt of wondering what we had done to cause this or what we had not done to prevent it – how did we miss the signs? Our understanding of the disease is better now, so there is less guilt. We understand that we could not have prevented this. The helpless feeling of not being able to take this away from him and make him better, however, remains. It is a terrible feeling to have as a parent – to be unable to protect your child and we know that until we find a cure there are going to be too many more families like ours.

Dan is now 21 and has lived almost half his life with diabetes. We know that, while he can live a normal healthy life if he takes care of himself, it is a daily grinding struggle. The impact of not being constantly vigilant could be devastating. We do what we can to support him; by encouraging (sometimes “nagging”) him to monitor and control his blood sugar levels, and by raising funds and awareness (through Team Diabetes). We do all that we can, but it will not be enough until there is a cure.

We are Diabetes Champions because Dan’s health and ultimately his life are at stake. If we do not champion his cause, who will?

Stephen and Monique Gagnon

I am a diabetes champion because I don’t let diabetes defeat my dreams, goals, or aspirations in life. Having lived with type 1 diabetes for 37 years (diagnosed at the age of 18 months old), I have learned to face diabetes and its challenges head on, and not let it get me down. I can not do this on my own…my mother and sister who also live with type 1 diabetes are my supporters and comrades in this fight.

I am very honored and privileged to work with a team of talented individuals at Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) who are dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes and its complications. The world-class research that is being funded by JDRF is a testament to their commitment to people living with type 1 diabetes. They provide hope.

Diabetes does not define me. It is a part of who I am and who I will become. I know I am not alone, and this makes me stronger.

I have been living with type 1 diabetes for more than 35 years. As an active adolescent, I always struggled with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) during exercise and sports. After completing a bachelors’ degree in Kinesiology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, I began graduate work under the supervision of a pediatric exercise specialist, Dr. Oded Bar-Or, at McMaster University. My thesis work helped establish new guidelines on how to prevent exercise-associated low blood sugar in active children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. As a post-doctoral student at the University of Toronto in Physiology, I learned more about how stress and exercise influence diabetes control under the supervision of Dr. Mladen Vranic, who is a world renowned scientist studying diabetes metabolism since the late 1950s. Now, as a professor of integrative physiology in the Faculty of Health at York University in Toronto, along with my enthusiastic and gifted graduate students, I continue to study the effects of stress and exercise on both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. We are able to do this through both support and funding from the Canadian Diabetes Association and the Canadian Institute for Health Research. Our studies include animal models of diabetes and humans with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and more recently those with pre diabetes.
Remembering my own frustrations as a young athlete struggling with diabetes and sports, I recently developed an adolescent type 1 diabetes specialty sports camp where young athletes with diabetes can improve their skills at both diabetes management and their sport of interest (basketball, soccer or tennis). I firmly believe that learning from each other in an experiential setting helps improve diabetes management skills and motivation to be healthy in spite of our diabetes. Although it may seem like every day is surrounded by and about diabetes both personally and professionally, I would not want it any other way.
Because of diabetes, I’ve made numerous life long friendships and I feel proud of my accomplishments and contributions in helping those with the disease live longer and healthier lives.

I am a Diabetes Champion because my Father died from complications of type 2 diabetes and my younger brother has had type 2 diabetes since he was in his late 30s. My Grandmother and her Mother both had type 2 diabetes as well. My Father had his first heart attack when I was 16 years old after having had diabetes for 15 years. He recovered from that scare but went on to have a major stroke 10 years later. He survived the stroke but just barely and lived the next 5 years in a long term care facility He could not walk or talk for those 5 years and it was heart breaking for all his family and friends to see him like that. We now know that his premature passing could have been prevented. My children could have known their grandfather if only we knew then what we know now.
When Lisa was asked why she is a Diabetes Champion, she said:  “As a pharmacist I see many patients with type 2 diabetes. I feel passionate about helping them so that their family does not have to experience the pain and suffering that my Father and his family went through. In the last 20 years there have been many new medications to help prevent the long term complications of diabetes that were not available when my Father needed them.. I try very diligently to inform every person I come in contact with about the epidemic of diabetes that is upon us. I also do as much outreach and education as is possible through my pharmacy to give people the knowledge they need to manage their own diabetes or to help someone they know who has diabetes.”

I am a Diabetes Champion because…

My enthusiasm for an active, healthy lifestyle fuels my passion for research. I am a strong advocate for active living, and am frustrated that physical and psychological barriers to exercise exist for individuals with type 1 diabetes. I have been performing exercise-related research with type 1 diabetic individuals for the past three years in order to fill some of the void in the existing literature. The hope is that my research will one day assist in the development of safe and effective exercise prescriptions for those with type 1 diabetes. In the meantime, I will continue to lead by example among my peers, by keeping fit, staying active and eating well. I also hope to follow up my fundraising and race experiences with Team Diabetes in 2008 and my volunteer work with Team Diabetes in 2009 with additional challenges in 2010.

One of the first things that Jason thought when he was first diagnosed was that he would not be able to do all the things that he loves. Not true. He can, he will and he does all those very things. Jason understands that diabetes is just part of who he is – not what defines him. That’s why raising money by playing golf just made sense to him. Jason also believes as we do, that he, like so many other children and teenagers like him are the new face of diabetes today. Healthy, strong and ready to tackle the world!

Nissim Oshadi
Why I am a Diabetes Champion.

Over 30 years ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Instead of looking at it as a “sickness” or an “illness,” I took the diagnosis as an opportunity to change my way of life for the better. And I have found that it’s not that hard! Along with medication, I watch my diet (lots of healthy vegetables and avoiding white bread etc.) and walk as much as I can for exercise. This has kept my health in good check for over 3 decades – and given me loads of energy to enjoy my life.

You should also know I am passionate about chocolate! So passionate in fact, that during my travels I constantly searched the market for a high quality sugar-free chocolate that would satisfy my sweet tooth. This led to the opening of my shop, Dahso Chocolat et Café in Toronto. It is my greatest pleasure to bring the finest European, no sugar-added chocolate to the Diabetes community. The best news is… most of our customers can’t tell the difference.

I salute my fellow “Champions of Diabetes” and say from my own experience that with a little effort life can be sweet!