Sandy Kenefick has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was a teenager and has managed it impeccably ever since. While she has just passed her 50th birthday, she has committed herself to being a dominant force against the disease. In the summer of 2003, she hiked the entire Chilkoot trail along the Yukon/Alaska border — a week in the wilderness with nothing but a backpack and extra vials of insulin. The year following, she trained and ran the full 2004 Vancouver Marathon in just over four hours. Since then, she runs constantly, filing away half-marathons, fun-runs and everything in between. This past summer, she hiked the length of the West Coast trail along the north of Vancouver Island. Another week in the wilderness with a backpack and a camera. She manages two successful businesses, raised a daughter, looks after two energetic dogs, eats healthy, smiles often, and is the kindest, most positive person I’ve every known. She also volunteers at any fundraiser for diabetes that presents itself. I often forget she does all of this while juggling the horrors of her disease. (She also makes a wicked butternut squash soup!)

Iain is a great kid and never complains about caring for his diabetes, even though it is really difficult (especially around Hallowe’en and birthday parties). Last year, on World Diabetes Day, Iain was admitted to hospital with this diagnosis. All of us in our family, Mom, Dad, and brothers Nick and Will and hamster PO are very proud of how brave he has been and how he manages to keep on smiling no matter how tough things are!! We love you, Iain!!

My son Antonio is a Diabetes Champion. He was diagnosed when he was only five years of age. It was very hard to explain to him that diabetes would be part of his life from then on. Needles, pokes, lows, measuring food was a new world we were pushed into. But years have passed and he has learnt and also we have learnt to make his life as normal as it can be. He loves playing soccer everytime he can, at school and with his club team. He is now 11 and wears a Medtronic pump that has helped him manage his diabetes even better. There are days when he gets discouraged…he gets burned out….but after a few tears and long talks about his diabetes the brightness comes back to his dark eyes and he is ready to take the next day. Antonio you are my champion.

I am a Diabetes Champion because I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 25.

This revelation provided me with a more personalized connection to an issue that would allow me to share my grassroots energy and desire to make a meaningful difference in the world. I was previously named a Honourary Youth Advocate and represented the CDA as part of the inaugural UN World Diabetes Day.

I am currently working with the CDA but still enjoy finding time to volunteer, coach baseball, and participate in various community-based programs.

Despite the adversity, diabetes reawakened my senses and in the process connected me with some wonderful people (see Shawn Shepheard). It has also made me re-examine what it means to live life passionately and to embrace the unpredictable flow of each day with a sense of joy and happiness.

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.