Q. Where are you from?
A. I am from Ontario Canada, a true Canadian girl to the core! I grew up in little town outside of Newmarket, Ontario called Holland Landing. I now live in another little town called Port Bolster, but, almost no one knows where that is so I just tell everyone that I live in Beaverton, Ontario!
Q. What’s your story?
A. I have been diabetic for 23 years, I was diagnosed in 1987 at the ripe ol’ age of 3. Since 2006 I have been a proud pumper. Before that I was injecting up to 6 times a day, as well as testing up to 8 times a day… kinda felt like a pin-cushion!
I live with my boyfriend of 4 years; Ashley and our 2 dogs, Cracker and Caius. Straight out of highschool I went to Flemming College for the law clerk program. I hated it and quit after realizing I didn’t want to be behind a desk as a pencil pusher the rest of my life (no offence to office workers!). I then worked in the construction field for 5 years paving roads. One day in the winter I had the idea to go back to school, so I did! I took the Dental Office, Chairside Assistant Intr-oral Level 2 program at Everest College, graduated with honours and have been working in the dental field for almost 2 years now!
I am in love with the outdoors. Any chance I get I’m strapping on my hiking boots to head out into the bush (no trail necessary; just a map, compass and mother nature herself). Or I’m loading my wonderful boyfriend and two dogs into our canoe to head off to remote lakes, tiny creeks, wide rivers and the odd over-flow pond.
Q. What was your insulin regime like when you were first diagnosed with diabetes?
A. 2 Needles a day (morning and night) Humulin NPH and Humulin R, and test four times daily.
I’m now a pumper using Novorapid and I test upwards of six times per day.
Q. What are the top 5 songs on your iTunes?
A. “Something” The Beatles
“Dead leaves on the dirty ground” White Stripes
“Milk” Kings of Leon
“Wild Mountian Honey” Steve Miller Band
“The Weight” The Band
Q. What is the coolest thing you’ve done as a person with diabetes?
A. I always like to say that diabetes has given me so much more in my life than it has taken away, and that’s nothing but the truth.
I’ve traveled across seas to the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Northern and Southern Ireland. I’ve also been to a lot of places in South America.
My family were always avid Nascar fans growing up, so I got the opportunity to meet a lot of drivers. Bill Elliot actually bought me my very first sugar-free ice cream when I was 7!
Q. What keeps you ‘in motion’?
A. Canoeing
Hiking
Kayaking
Biking
Generally being outdoors!
My claim to fame is paddling 48kms in one day on one crazy trip with Ashley and Cracker (we didn’t have Caius at this point) it included a 2km portage.
