CYCLEBETES: Delivering on a Promise.
CURE JUVENILE DIABETES.

Live: Halifax, Nova Scotia Biggest physical challenge and accomplishment: That is yet to be determined. Possibly Cyclebetes, and the ride from Halifax to the Quebec border - on a tandem bike no less! Trying for black belt in Karate before my kids get there.

Why am I riding in Cyclebetes?

The immediate answer to this is easy; I am a father whose 11 year old daughter has Type 1 diabetes. That is all the reason I need to get involved and do something that will make a difference. Aside from this obvious reason, I have had the opportunity to meet a number of other families, who are in the same situation as us. My daughter may have diabetes, but our whole family was given the diagnoses.

 

As personal as this is, each time we go and pick up the prescriptions, or attend information meeting on the devices that are available - at a significant cost - my wife and I marvel at how families, without some form of insurance, can manage to buy all the medicine, supplies, and groceries needed to manage this disease.. We are Canadians, and with that comes some comfort in knowing that assistance can be gotten when needed; whether that be financial, medical, or emotional. However, diabetes is not exclusively Canadian like Tim Horton's or poutine. There are millions of children all over the world who are facing what my daughter is facing, but are not as fortunate to have the advantages that we as Canadians have available to us.

 

I cannot even begin to imagine how I would feel without the support of the fantastic team of health professionals at the IWK Children's hospital here in Halifax, access to the best medical equipment and supplies, and all the other advantages that we as Canadian parents of children with Type I diabetes have at our disposal. I am doing this for every child, who has, or will have, type 1 diabetes. The cure will have no geographic, or economic boundaries

 

Cyclebetes to me is just one more weapon in our arsenal for Megan's Team (my daughter) in Picking a Fight with Diabetes. This team is made up of an ever increasing circle of family, friends, health care workers, diabetes researchers, people that have bought raffle tickets, donated prizes and the thousands of other acts of kindness large and small that help in some way. If you see me on the journey, be sure to say "hi". Megan's Team always welcomes new members.