Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes several years ago, Randal is an OPP officer in Kingston who has been volunteering on behalf of the Canadian Diabetes Association since 2003. An avid Team Diabetes supporter Randal participated in the Rome Marathon, spring 2004, and more recently Dublin, Honolulu and Easter Island! He is a wonderful example of a person who is using diet and exercise to manage his diabetes. Randal has never considered his diabetes to be an obstacle in his life — he is a true inspiration to everyone who knows him. His positive/healthy attitude is to be admired! A true Diabetes Champion!

Sherry Orr of Wolfe Island finds happiness by helping others. Volunteering with the Canadian Diabetes Association for the past 20 years she is a great example that people can help themselves by helping others. Sherry developed type 2 diabetes approximately 10 years ago. She works to control her blood sugar levels with a healthy diet and physical activity. She often speaks to people about diabetes and how to avoid the complications that can often accompany this chronic disease. She has been the residential captain, for Wolfe Island, for many years and not only promotes the Associations values and beliefs but also recruits volunteers to assist with the door-to-door campaign each year. Sherry and her team of volunteers on the island raised a record $4500 last year! Sherry Orr, Diabetes Champion, is certainly a role model for us all!

Tom McDade is a true Diabetes Champion! Tom is the ‘face of the Canadian Diabetes Association’ in the South East Ontario Region. He spends countless hours delivering learning series presentations and participating in community health awareness events at local libraries, seniors groups, churches, schools and service clubs. Tom can be found every Monday afternoon, at the Hastings & Prince Edward County Branch Office, where he continues to support the work of the Association as a front line volunteer. He also assists each year with the door-to-door campaign — not only to raise funds to support the vision of the Association.

Jim Young – Volunteer with South East Ontario Region, Canadian Diabetes Association. Jim has been an active and invaluable volunteer with the Association since 2002! He has assisted with many fund raising events, community health displays and symposiums just to name a few. Jim is also the Regional Delegate for the SEOR. All this while managing his diabetes and going to school full-time as he moved ahead after retiring from a lengthy career in the armed forces! Jim has also brought his young daughter Cassidy along with him and she is now volunteering along side her father whenever possible.
Jim Young is a true Champion!

Mel Viner – Diabetes Champion! A volunteer with the South East Ontario Region of the Canadian Diabetes Association for over 18 years, Mel has raised over $180,000 for diabetes research and education. Since 2000, Mel has raised an average of $12,000 a year with the Association’s door-to-door campaign for which he is currently the Co-Chair. Mel’s significant accomplishments enable the Canadian Diabetes Association to achieve its mission and vision.

Maureen Dowling is a Diabetes Champion! For over 51 years Maureen has been living with type 1 diabetes. She has seen many changes and firmly believes that the information that she has received from health care professionals has enabled her to understand and manager her own diabetes. Inspired by effective diabetes management tools and the information she has received, Maureen volunteers for the South East Ontario Region of the Canadian Diabetes Association as a Learning Series Presenter, Display Volunteer and presenter of the animated Children’s program, the Cellberton’s. She actively participates in our annual residential campaign and not only promotes the Association but actively assists with the recruitment of new volunteers and supporters.

Our son Matthew was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in October 2008. He is our hero and Diabetes Champion because he always has a smile on his face and never complains. Through all the blood testing, blood work, insultin shots and doctors appointments, he just takes it in stride. Matthew also has mild autism and is the most amazing son. We are blessed to have him in our lives.

Shelly and Margie are true Diabetes Champions. They are diabetes consultants who work with the on reserve population of New Brunswick. Both of them have been dedicated and passionate about their work, bringing innovative methods of teaching to the People, engaging the communities and making huge strides in diabetes prevention and care. They work tirelessly with boundless enthusiasm and great expertise with a genuine desire to create a nation without diabetes. They have inspired me in my own diabetes prevention and education work with the off reserve Aboriginal population of New Brunswick by being supportive and sharing their experience. Shelly and Margie, you are 2 of the best, thank you for being Diabetes Champions, Hugs from Donna

I am a Diabetes Champion because I have lived with type two diabetes for 19 years. and I do lead a healthy life style and try to maintain my diabetes and I have lost a very special person to type 2 diabetes.

I was diagnosed having diabetes back in 1988 through a routine check up. Having none of the symptoms, I was quite surprised. The prescription back then was to loose weight and to take lessons from a nurse and a dietitian at the hospital. In the classes, I learned about how to control the disease with diet, exercise and medicine. In spite of my efforts, my diabetes control was still erratic and mostly on the bad side of the target line. Experiencing the difficulties first hand, I wanted to learn more about the disease and to help others to learn as well. When the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) opened its branch in Nanaimo, I began to attend events and started to volunteer with them. Most of my volunteering involved selling raffle tickets in malls around the city. Since I moved to Richmond in 2005, I joined the CDA as a volunteer in their Chinese Info Line program. It’s a phone-in program for Chinese speaking people all over North America wanting to know about diabetes. We provide them with verbal and written information in Chinese about diabetes. We also listen carefully about how their diabetes is affecting their lives and refer them to different agencies for additional assistance. I also participated in other CDA activities, such as data entry, health fair display, presentation in the community, Diabetes Expos, etc. With knowledge gained from and participation with the CDA, I was able to maintain my control over a 21-year span. I am sure other people can as well. The CDA is an excellent place to find such knowledge.