Dufferin ‘Diabetees’ Day of Champions raises more than $41K

August 6, 2015 · 0 Comments

On Monday July 27th pro golfer David Markle, an ambassador for the Canadian Diabetes Association, hosted a golf tournament at the Shelburne Golf Club to support children with Type-1 Diabetes allowing them to attend “D-Camps”.
The Canadian Diabetes Association camping tradition began in 1953 with the opening of the Camp Banting in Eastern Ontario. Since then, their camping program has grown extensively, and the Association now operates 12 overnight camps across Canada.
Since the beginning, the focus of their camps has been to provide children living with type 1 Diabetes with opportunities to enjoy an authentic camp experience while having all of their diabetes needs monitored by a dedicated team of trained medical professionals.
While at camp, children learn about diabetes management in an enriching, diabetes friendly environment. Here, diabetes education is experiential: meaning that learning how to better manage diabetes happens through doing.
At camp, campers see their new friends, test their blood, and listen to the doctor explain why they are prescribing a specific insulin dose ahead of a big day of hiking. They also take part in their own diabetes management.
At camp campers inevitable share stories of their own experiences with diabetes and how they handle certain situations.
These special experiences result in many “ah-ha?” moments and “diabetes milestones.” In fact, many of the camps alumni recall that camp was the first time they administered their own insulin or handled their own pump site insertion – a major accomplishment in the life of a child living with diabetes.
Campers are also able to meet other children who share a personal understanding of the challenges that come from living with diabetes, and many of these relationships develop into lifelong friendships. When children leave camp, they will have also gained a new level of independence in managing their diabetes and feel empowered to continue the healthy practices they learned at camp.
This event saw the following NHL players: Marcel Dionne, Warren Yong, Paul McIntosh, Nick Moutrey, Brett Ritchie, Nick Ritchie, Brenden Miller, Malcolm Subban and Tyler Randell as well as Professional Golfer; Nick Taylor, Andrew Parr, Ryan Corbin, Kody Fry, Andrew Zanatta, Marc Bourgeois, Josh Taylor and Brendan Barrack teeing off with 154 registered golfers.
This years event saw a total of about 225 people in attendance which included the Children’s Clinic, of about 22 in attendees, which was held for the first time this year. At the end of this Day of Champions they were hoping to raise more then last years $41,000+, which will go to the Canadian Diabetes Association’s D-Camps.
To learn more about Diabetes or to donate please go to www.diabetes.ca

By Michelle Austen