I recently spoke to Cyclebetes BC Provincial Team rider Jen Aragon. We were not discussing the Can do! spirit per say. What was noteworthy is that it kept coming up and up and up!
Safe to say the Can do spirit is at the very heart of Cyclebetes and everyone associated with us.
As you know Cyclebetes is the legacy of Kyle’s promise to his daughter Taylor. Are you delivering on a promise and to who?
I promised my son, Dylan, when he was diagnosed in 2005, that I would do everything in my power to find a cure for type-1 diabetes, and that I will never give up until a cure is found. I’m delivering on that promise!
What does participating in the ride mean to you and your family?
We have participated in the TELUS Walk to Cure Diabetes for 5 years and have raised just under $40,000 in that time. For me, Cyclebetes is a way for me to keep raising money for JDRF, and spread awareness about type 1, with the added benefit of being part of an incredible event, not only for fitness purposes, but for the experience as a whole.
What do you hope to accomplish?
Aside from hoping I can still walk after riding across BC? lol…
For me the goals are twofold:
- fundraising and awareness
- to show my son, and others, that if you put your mind to it, you CAN DO anything. Nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself.
How would a cure change your life?
A cure would change my life in so many ways, it’s hard to even imagine sometimes. It would mean no more added worry, no more middle of the night blood tests, no more counting carbs, or stopping in the middle of an activity to check blood, no more needles, blood tests, purse full of dextrose tablets, or emergency glucagon shots, no more hypoglycemic night time seizures, no more hospital stays just because Dylan has a cold or flu, and no more constant concern over what the future will bring for him in terms of diabetes side effects. But most importantly, a cure would give Dylan, and so many other kids, the childhood they so desperately want and deserve.
Is there a message you would like to extend to others?
A cure is out there, and we WILL find it. Research is getting so close, but it’s expensive. We need your help. We can do this!
What do people need to know about type 1 diabetes?
That it’s not hereditary, or a result of poor diet, lack of exercise, or any other self-inflicted reason. That it’s random, deadly, and affects thousands of Canadian children and adults.
Author: Cheryl Wilson-Stewart Director of school initiatives. “Our responsibility is to mentor and support these young people they are outstanding!” She is also the founder of Mindblasting and author of several creativity curriculum in use throughout the world, Cheryl is a consultant to both business and education sectors.
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Can we amass a village of 10,000 in 13 days?
One of the very best applications of social networking is to connect like minded people.
It was a day 14 years ago my daughter was then almost 5. I was making dinner and she was watching a World Vision presentation on TV. At some point I noticed her climbing on a chair to get the note pad and pen that I kept on top of the microwave. A half hour later she handed me a slip of paper with a telephone number carefully written on it. “We need to do this – call this number”, she said. “Tell me more”, I asked her. “These kids need our help – pleeease call them mom”, she implored. So I did.
