Living Healthy

More than 20 people are diagnosed with diabetes every hour of every day - meet people who are living healthy while living with diabetes

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Adam Penner - Winnipeg, MB

Inspired by a nine-year-old girl with type 1 diabetes attending the daycare he works at, 24-year-old University of Manitoba student Adam Penner spearheaded a diabetes awareness project called “Running for Erica.”

Adam is a track and field and cross country athlete, and, over the last three years as he developed a great relationship with Erica and a better understanding of diabetes, he decided to combine his passion for being active and healthy living with a personal fundraising and awareness goal.

In 2009 Adam joined Team Diabetes, aiming to run the July 2010 Rio de Janeiro marathon. In support of his fundraising goals, he encouraged University of Manitoba students to give up coffee or pop and donate a dollar; walk 10 minutes in honour of someone they know living with diabetes; and pass on this challenge to their professors, classmates, teammates, friends and people in the community.

Adam met and surpassed his Team Diabetes fundraising goal of $6,100, and earned the honour of second-fastest male runner in his age group in the 2010 Rio marathon. With a continued eye on fundraising, awareness and staying active, he is now considering participating in the 2011 Rome marathon through Team Diabetes.

For details on Adam’s progress, a Facebook group is available by searching for “Running for Erica.”