Trekking for a Cure                                                                           June 2009

Never in my life did I think I would dare to do what I'm about to do in two weeks' time...
I'm hiking the Inca Trail in Peru to Machu Picchu!!!

4 days of hiking uphill. At altitude. With Type I diabetes. That's right.

For me, the mere idea of not showering for 4 days while performing extreme physical activity would be enough to deter me from ever pursuing something like this. Further, I am not a jock. I still suffer with knee pain from an old skiing injury and backache from a car accident a few years ago. I am an office slave who sits in a chair for 10 hours a day. Why on earth would someone like me take on such an extraordinary challenge?

Because I can. And because I feel strongly that this is a worthwhile endeavour - to raise funds for a cure for Type I diabetes.

My body has survived a battle with Type I diabetes for the past 20 years. I have taken in excess of 40,000 injections in my life so far, and am acutely aware that the stuff in that little vial I carry around (insulin) is what keeps me alive. And were it not for the research efforts of Banting & Best so many years ago, I wouldn't be here today. But insulin is not a cure.

I don't make a big deal or create drama around having diabetes, but would certainly characterize it as a daily "siege" to try and manage. It's never easy, and there isn't a day that goes by where I wish I didn't have it. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep my eyes and kidneys in good shape, or if I'm going to be prematurely struck down by some other complication. It's a bugger. But what I know for sure is that I live passionately and with no regrets.

I have seen and experienced more in my 37 years on this planet than many do in a lifetime. But this trip is more than just an adventure. I am inspired to help and be part of a miracle for myself and the millions of other people in Canada and around the world who deal with this illness every day. I want a cure. And you can help.

Please consider donating to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. In partnership with JDRF, I have set up a special donation webpage where you can simply go online and make your contribution, in whatever amount is meaningful to you.

I am asking for your help. Please be a part of this journey and do what you can.

PS. I am going with a whole group of young people with Type I diabetes, and we are called "Team ONE". It is a part of the legacy of our dear friend, Sebastien Sasseville, who is the first and only Canadian with Type I diabetes to summit Mt. Everest. This is the third in a series of group expeditions he started to raise money for JDRF and to show that diabetes doesn't have to hold anyone back from living their best life. I am so unbelievably proud to be a part of all this, and still can hardly believe that I'm ACTUALLY doing it!!! Thank you Seb for being such an inspiration - you are one of my heroes!!!

PPS. Global TV did a news piece on our group...have a look!