After taking a year off in 2002, the local Canadian Diabetes Association’s “celebrity challenge” is back—with 12 participants being lined up to see if they can live life as if they had this all-too-common disease Sept. 13-19.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it. I like doing things like this for the community,” said Jodis McCaine, a registered dietitian with the Valley Diabetes Education Centre who is organizing the event along with long-time volunteer George Bartlett and Cindy Gauthier, a registered nurse and certified diabetes educator.
While the event, which aims to raise awareness of diabetes in the community, initially was slated to take place last fall, and then again this past spring, McCaine being new to the job and a hectic schedule revolving around the town’s centennial celebrations meant it had to be delayed until now.
But McCaine is hoping the sight of local “celebrities” carrying teddy bears around with them for a week next month will jog people’s memories.
“I think it will be really fun, and certainly educational for people,” she remarked.
The challenge—in which the participants keep track of what they eat and drink for three days, record their blood sugar, give regular insulin “shots” to the teddy bears they carry around with them for the week, and be physically active—will be preceded by two information sessions.
The first of these is slated Monday, Sept. 8 from 6-8 p.m. If that is inconvenient for some participants, they can catch a second session Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Both will be held in the boardroom on the second floor of the administrative wing at La Verendrye Hospital.
At these sessions, McCaine said participants will learn the definitions of Type I, II, and gestational diabetes, the signs and symptoms of the disease, risk factors in developing it, and preventative measures such as diet, exercise, foot care, and stress management.
McCaine also will provide participants will meal plans based on quantities in line with their normal diets.
And being all about raising the profile of diabetes, the challenge involves 12 local “celebrities, who once gain are being rounded up by Bartlett.
Some of the confirmed participants so far include municipal tax collector Ed Katona, NDP leader and local MPP Howard Hampton, Jen O’Reilly of B-93, Georges Blanc and his wife, Linda, of La Place Rendez-Vous, Capt. Angel Sandoval of the Fort Frances Salvation Army, and the Times’ own Duane Hicks.
Others will be announced down the road.
Over the years, Bartlett noted, every mayor and many of the town’s doctors have participated in the challenge, along with bank managers and business owners.
Times’ staffers also have been involved most years, including Mike Behan, Jim Cumming, Jeremy Loome, John Pierce, Jennifer Battler, Jack Tynan, and Reuben Villagracia.
A wrap-up banquet, during which the winner of the challenge will be announced, is slated for Wednesday, Sept. 24 at La Place Rendez-Vous.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
