People with Diabetes

More than 9 million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes - meet the people behind the numbers

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Barb Warenchuk - Edmonton, AB

Barb Warenchuk is no stranger to diabetes. The disease has been a part of her family for over three generations. She is one of six siblings who have diabetes.

At 22, after noticing some symptoms, Barb visited her doctor and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Now, almost 40 years later, she has learned to manage her diabetes through healthy eating and regular exercise. “I had a tough doctor - a good doctor - he didn’t give me any other option than to change my lifestyle.”

Immediately after her diagnosis, Barb changed her diet. “I started eating breakfast, I started eating better foods and more often throughout the day - not just when I was hungry.” A regular exercise program has also helped Barb to manage her diabetes with very little medication. “You don’t need more money to learn to cook properly, and exercise is free - you just need to be willing to take the time.”

Barb’s biggest piece of advice to others who are looking for better ways to manage their diabetes is to get educated. “We didn’t grow up with any awareness of what diabetes meant - I lost my sister because of complications from the disease, and I think it had a lot to do with poor lifestyle choices,” she says. “The more you know about something the easier it is to deal with.”

Barb has been a volunteer with the Edmonton chapter of the Association for three years. “I’ve always enjoyed public speaking and I thought it was a good way to use my skills to help young people learn more about diabetes.”