Leanne is one of the fastest women on the water in Canada in an outrigger canoe. Where ever she travels for her racing and training she promotes awareness and understanding of Type 1 Diabetes. It’s hard not to notice her pink pump hanging proudly off her shorts.
Leanne enjoys connecting and speaking with people interested in healthy active lifestyles and fine tuning their insulin requirements for a wide range of physical activities. She feels that she learns something new from every other person with Type 1 that she meets.

Leanne is a Diabetes Champion because she uses her paddling to promote awareness and understanding that people with Diabetes just have to adjust their insulin to their life, they don’t have to adjust their life to their insulin.

In 2009, Leanne was awarded the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association’s “Athlete of the Year” award.

My Diabetes Champion is Emma, my 18-month old daughter who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a short 8 months ago. She is a diabetes champion because nothing (including diabetes) slows her down. She never sheds a tear over a finger poke, insulin pump site change, or blood draw at the lab.

Emma is my hero and I am so proud of her.

My Diabetes Champion…Connor was diagnosed 2 years ago. He has never complained, and he gives me the honour of being a part of his ongoing management strategy. My life has a higher purpose: the welfare of my son. Although his mother and I are divorced, we have learned to prioritize Connor’s well being over everything. I am actively working with many reputed diabetes management institutions in developing care solutions. He is my champion.

My first exposure to Diabetes began during the 2nd World War when I was led to understand it was a fatal disease and that people who had “IT” didn’t live very long.

I met Helen when we were just young teenagers. Helen was 12 and I was 13. We met during the summer school break when she went north to visit her aunt and uncle. After she went home at the end of the summer, we stayed in touch.

When the war broke out, I enlisted in the air force and while serving my letters with Helen became longer and more frequent. In one of her letters Helen told me about her (Type 1) Diabetes and I thought our relationship would come to an end.

I wanted to marry my best friend when the war ended but I was told she was a risk, a big risk and perhaps I should end our relationship before we got too involved. I asked my mother. She always had given me courage and confidence when my world was in turmoil. “Kenny, if you truly love her, you can be happy. Love will overcome the days of doubt”. How right!

After the war, I moved to Toronto, a few blocks away from Helen, and after a one year engagement we were married in 1947.

At the same time the treatment for Diabetes was changing due to the discovery of insulin.

“Toronto” insulin was manufactured in downtown Toronto. Huge piles of cattle pancreas were kept in cold storage waiting for the insulin to be extracted from them. When a person became allergic to beef insulin, there was pork insulin to take for a little while until your body accepted the beef again.

In the beginning glass syringes were used. When needles were used for any length of time, they got dull. I became very good at sharpening them. Each day, the needles and syringes were boiled for ten minutes to sterilize them.

A group of medical people had a meeting about the need for an association of volunteers to be formed and soon the Diabetic Association of Ontario received its Charter. Helen with her secretarial training volunteered to be the secretary. I did my bit by setting up chairs and driving here and there on errands.

When it became necessary to have a full-time secretary for the Ontario Division, Helen became the first paid person after so many years of volunteering.

With the creation of the Canadian Diabetic Association we became a truly full Canadian association, opening branches from coast-to-coast.

Due to the complications of Diabetes, having a family required consultation with a doctor. In 1949 it was determined that we could have a baby and our our first daughter was born by caesarian section on February 24, 1950. Four years later, again after consultation with the diabetes specialist and her family doctor we were allowed to have our second child who was also born by c-section.

In 1974 a camp for children with diabetes was purchased and Helen took on the task of being the registrar for Camp Huronda working out of the basement office of our home in Toronto.

I quit my job with Metro Toronto and headed to Camp Huronda near Huntsville to become the Camp Manager. It was a most rewarding experience. Children who came very insecure about their future went home knowing more about themselves and how to manage their Diabetes.

The camp children became like our own and to this day I still get Christmas cards from some of those wonderful “Camp Staff and Campers”.

When Helen’s eyesight deteriorated to the extent that it was difficult for her to carry on as Registrar for Camp Huronda we left the camp in 1980 to begin a life of retirement.

I became more involved as a volunteer and served on the Board of Ontario Division and as Regional Director for the Muskoka area where I visited all the Branches of the Region. Helen often traveled with me and was able to promote the values of sending a child with diabetes to camp.

In 1984 I was diagnosed with type two diabetes. Since that time I have had to pay more attention to my health.

Helen had diabetes for fifty-five years and received many awards including a life membership in CDA on June 26th, 1993, the Fifty-year Medal of Joslin Diabetes Center and a commissioned print of a painting done for Novo Nordisc of the home of Sir Fredrick Banting.

In 1993 we were both honored with life memberships in Saskatoon for our years of contributions to the Canadian Diabetes Association. I was honored with the “Eric Roberts Award” for recognition of volunteering for many years.

I know that our contribution has made a difference to those we touched with dedication to help improve “Living with Diabetes”.

Today, although limited in my ability to be part of the action physically, there is still that spirit of belonging and verbally suggesting the best way to stay healthy while living with diabetes.

“Diabetes is Manageable!”

I do not consider myself a champion. However, I am amongst them every day. As a certified diabetes educator, I work with other health professionals who are so dedicated to helping those with diabetes manage their lives. As a volunteer for both Diabetes Educator Section and CDA, I am humbled to be amongst people who so willing offer their time to such a worthy cause. As an individual, I have learned so much from people with diabetes who are conquering their challenges. You are all champions!

“I am a Diabetes Champion because I believe that I can make a difference in the lives of the more than 2.4 million Canadians living each day with this disease (and I am one of them).

Since being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes more than 6 years ago, I have experienced first-hand the impacts on my life and the lives of my family members. Watching, and listening to my adult children has opened my eyes to what happens in the lives of the people who are nothing more than supports of my health.

Whether it be though my involvement in advocacy, speaking to various audiences about diabetes, raising funds as a member/participant of the Team Diabetes program or simply having a casual conversation with people — letting them know what things are like, I feel I can spread a positive light on what could be perceived as a negative situation.”

“I am a Diabetes Champion because…

I believe that to conquer this disease we must win the battles within ourselves first. I tell myself that diabetes is only a part of me and that the whole of “me” is what really matters. I win my battles by setting goals to reach, putting a plan together and executing it to the best of my ability. Once I have learned something new about “me and Diabetes”, I go on to the next thing. It only ends when we have won.”

“Henry, my Brother, living with diabetes for 20 years, was my supporter in Rome 2006 at the Team Diabetes marathon, aka King Henry. Henry did participate in Kelowna 2008 and has signed up for Ottawa May 2010. Henry is busy raising awareness for World Diabetes Day at the senior Lodge, for the staff, where he volunteers. He received a letter from the Mayor of Guelph, offering greetings to Diabetes Champions, Volunteers and Donors, which he will read out. The Mayor acknowledges also the Association for their continued work for people with diabetes. There will be fundraising for the Canadian Diabetes Association, at the Lodge’s Fair. Henry is involved with his church. Gertrude, Henry’s wife is legally blind and requires help from him 24/7. He is my Hero, my Diabetes Champion.”

We are Diabetes Champions for many reasons:
….for our family members who have, or have had diabetes
…for the kids at Camp Banting who so bravely take on the challenge of living with type 1 diabetes
…for our many friends who live with type 1 diabetes
…for our many friends who live with type 2 diabetes
…for all the people we know who have lost loved ones TOO EARLY due to this disease
…for a brighter future without diabetes

Sue Schaefer is a Diabetes Nurse Educator working with the Aboriginal Health Team for the Vancouver Island Health Authority. During her “free time”, her alter ego is Mrs. Pudding – an eccentric, grandmotherly woman who loves to eat, hates to exercise and is initially shocked to learn she has diabetes. Mrs. Pudding doesn’t think it’s fair she has diabetes but gradually learns she has the skills and power to control her illness and improve her health. Sue Schaefer has performed Mrs. Pudding skits in over 50 cities across western Canada. The character has proven particularly effective in First Nations communities, where diabetes rates are high and story telling is a respected teaching tool. Mrs. Pudding makes everyone laugh as she drives home the HEAL (Healthy Eating, Active Living) message. She has recently developed a new skit called “positively stressing out” which helps people with diabetes learn to deal with all the stresses we all face in addition to the ones particular to diabetes. Mrs. Pudding gives the audience a positive way to live with diabetes. Sue is a generous and skilled teacher who is passionate about her message. We are blessed to have Sue on Vancouver Island!