By James Bowler

P.A. teen goes to Parliament Hill

Nov 9, 2014 | 7:20 AM

A Prince Albert teen is joining 39 other teens from across Canada to give a message to Parliament Hill.

Briana Riddoch, 17, suffers from Type 1 (T1) diabetes and is the local ambassador for the Telus Walk for Diabetes through the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. 

Through the organization she and the other teens will have an opportunity to speak to Stephen Harper and senators on the hill about diabetes.

“We are going to try and get more funding for research and try and get the cure faster,” said Riddoch. “It’s trying to bring more awareness to what diabetes is.”

Riddoch has been dealing with the disease since she was diagnosed at the age of nine, she explains that T1 Diabetes is an auto-immune disease that attacks and kills the pancreas which stops it from producing insulin, a hormone that allows our bodies to change food into energy. 

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She wants to educate not only the Prime Minister but the rest of Canadians on the reality of living with T1 Diabetes.

“I want to say how when I was diagnosed with diabetes that my childhood was over,” said Riddoch. “I just want to explain to him that I don’t want any other child to have their childhood taken away.”

For the past three years Riddoch has been the ambassador for the Prince Albert area in the Telus Walk for Diabetes after being asked by an upper executive with the Victoria Hospital Foundation.

“Sherry Buckler asked me to be the ambassador because I’ve been supportive of it and I’ve been fundraising lots and helping a lot, even though we didn’t need to,” said Riddoch. “My family and I would always help out in preparing the walk.”

Speaking of family, Riddoch’s mother Courtney Riddoch-Hill said her daughter is a hero, adding that this is a huge opportunity for her daughter.

Riddoch definitely feels the same way.

“It’s a very amazing opportunity to get because not a lot of people get to go,” said Riddoch. “I’m very honoured to be given the opportunity to go and talk about this.”

She added that while she is nervous she has a plan on how to get through her speech.

“Even though he is the Prime Minister he’s also a person, so I’m going to try and get in touch with his humanity,” said Riddoch. “Just pretend that you’re talking to a normal person, I’m going to try and pretend that I’m talking to my mom.”

Both Riddoch and her mother will travel to Ottawa on Nov. 25 for the Kids for a Cure Awareness Day.

If you’d like to donate to Riddoch to help her raise funds for T1 Diabetes research you can click this link and type in her full name Brianna Riddoch. 

jbowler@panow.com

On Twitter: @journalistjim