By Caitlin Brezinski

PHOTOS: Communities show support for diabetes walk

Sep 18, 2014 | 4:45 PM

About 450 people participated in the third annual Walk for Diabetes at Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation on Thursday.

Allison Babich, community dietician at Willow Cree Health Centre, one of the organizers of the event, said the event was planned as an awareness raising campaign.

“Especially in our community, it’s really important to get people participating in events like this to learn about diabetes and learn about ways that they can reduce their risk of getting this disease,” she said.

Babich said First Nations communities have a three to five times higher risk of developing diabetes over non-aboriginal communities and are often diagnosed much younger.

“It just has to do with a variety of factors, access to healthy food a lot of times, genetics, many different factors contribute to that but we just know the numbers are higher, so we’re combatting that through programming,” she said.

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Serena Gamble walked in honour of her mom, who lost her battle to Diabetes in 2011. Gamble said she was also walking to create awareness for diabetes education in the community.

“It’s just something that feels good to be a part of,” she said.

Derek Eyahpaise walked for his uncle, who passed away from diabetes more than four years ago.

“You can be diagnosed at a young age and it’s a scary thought,” he said.

Last year, 250 people came out to the walk and Babich said she hopes to keep making the event bigger every year by inviting surrounding communities.

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