Putting the Heat on Diabetes
On December 4th, early in the morning, 43 participants lined up at the start line in the Cayman Islands to complete their Team Diabetes journey. After hundreds of training miles logged and close to $300,000 raised for the Canadian Diabetes Association, all that was left to do was cross the finish line.
After all the preparation, crossing the finish line sounds like the easy part but those last few hours of effort test even the fittest of participants. Our team members have more than training under their belt to get them to the end of the course though. They have determination and many reasons to push on even when the miles seem to get longer. They are running for the 9 million Canadians living with diabetes or prediabetes. They are running for themselves. They are running for their family. They are running for their community. They are running for you.
“I have type 2 diabetes and ever since I was diagnosed, I have taken it seriously. I lost a lot of weight (from 280 lbs to 190 lbs) and dropped over 10 pant sizes! My dad, now 93, was diagnosed with diabetes 4 years ago so I also run for him. It’s a tough slog, but easier when you do it together. Everyone should be proud of themselves and it’s important they know we are all proud of them too.” Harry Flint, Team Member
Supporters also make a big impact. Behind every participant are family members, friends, colleagues and trainers supporting them every step of the way. Helping them raise the funds that will support the important work of the Association and encouraging them to stick to their training schedules day after day. They cheer them on at the start and wait anxiously at the finish. They are part of the team and part of our success.
“My wife Arlene wasn’t sure she could do it, but she did. When she crossed the finish line it was the highlight of the event for me. I felt very proud for her and I thought how proud our 2 boys (ages 9 and 16) would be. I have family members and coworkers with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and what she has accomplished will make a difference in their lives.” Craig Randall, husband and supporter of Arlene Randall and Team Diabetes
What began as a 6 month promise to lead a healthier lifestyle has now become a lifelong commitment for many. A frequent comment after crossing the finish line is “I’ll never do this again!” The other frequent comment, often from the same people not long after the first comment is “What event do you want to sign up for next?” The feeling of personal accomplishment and knowing you’ve done something so impactful has a way of making you forget about those few tough miles mid race or the nerves at the start line!
“I’ve done 5 of these and I can say that people with diabetes directly benefit from all the money that is raised as I have type 1 diabetes. The events are well organized and it is clear how much the participants are appreciated by the Association. My brother has done all the events with me and I am going to keep doing as many as I can. As a participant, it’s great to be able to choose your destination. Now I just have to decide where to run next!” Paul Van Berkel, Team Member. Read more about Paul and his brother here.
In addition to participating in the marathon on Sunday, Team Diabetes was fortunate to have a number of opportunities to connect with the local diabetes community. Fred DeFina, Director of Community Giving was a guest on local radio show “Talk Today” and was able to do a diabetes presentation at Clifton Hunter High School to 400 students from grades 7 and 8. Nik Palek accompanied Fred at the school and shared his personal story of living with type 1 diabetes. We were also delighted to be able to host members of the Cayman Islands Diabetes Charitable Trust at our team welcome reception. This gave our team members a chance to meet Cayman residents who are also leading the fight against diabetes!
“It was a pleasure to meet with the staff and students at Clifton Hunter High School. They should be applauded for all their efforts to raise awareness about diabetes and the harsh realities. In some way, we hope that Team Diabetes Canada’s participation at the Grand Cayman Marathon has contributed to these efforts.” Fred DeFina, Director, Community Giving, Canadian Diabetes Association
Read more about their school visit here and additional team coverage here.
Photo 1: Fred DeFina and Nik Palek with home economics students from Clifton Hunter High School who prepared healthy food choices for the school to celebrate World Diabetes Day (held on December 2nd in Cayman Islands).
Photo 2: Nik Palek addressing the school during their Special Morning Assembly on Diabetes on living with type 1 and how he manages the disease.
Photo 3: Fred DeFina and Nik Palek with Christina Rowlandson (centre left), Chairwoman of the Advisory Committee for the Cayman Islands Diabetes Charitable Trust who invited Team Diabetes to the school assembly and Nikki Samuel, mother of Maegan, a 12 year old with type 1 who also spoke to the assembly.
View team photos from the marathon here!
Team Diabetes is returning to this island nation for the 2012 edition of the Cayman Islands Marathon on December 2nd. Follow in their footsteps and join Team Diabetes at this fantastic event. You don’t have to be an experienced runner to sign up – you just need to be willing to make a commitment and be prepared for the positive impact it will have on your life and the lives of those around you. Challenge yourself to walk or run the half marathon. Run the marathon or sign up with 3 friends and run in the marathon relay together. The choice is yours. You CAN do it!
“I was excited about being more active, but this was a huge challenge. This was my first marathon and the training required discipline. I like to live the way I work though and with my birthday also being in December, it was a way to do something special for both me and those living with diabetes. I had butterflies leading up to the day and all was good up to mile 23 until the heat, humidity and my knee were trying to get the better of me. I overcame these obstacles though and crossed the finish line with a big smile!” Allison Langridge, team member and Marketing and Communications Associate for the Association. Read more about Allison here.
We are all inspired to support a cause for many different reasons. To go above and beyond what you thought you were ever capable of sometimes requires a little extra push. Capping off your efforts somewhere as spectacular as the Cayman Islands could be the push you are looking for!
Deadline to register for Cayman Islands 2012 is June 1st but give your fundraising and your fitness a head start and sign up today at www.teamdiabetes.ca!