The Venue Bar and Grill will be opening its doors to a first time fundraising event this Friday evening.
The Royal Bank of Canada, in support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, will be raising awareness and kicking up a good time all for a good cause.
One in three Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes. Research shows that those 20 years of age today will face a 50 per cent chance of developing the disease in their lifetime.
Local resident Kerri Camba knows first hand of the struggles. Her oldest daughter Megan, now 23, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at the age of 12. Having no existing diabetes that ran in the family Megan's diagnosis came as both a shock and relief that the root of her issues were found.
"My daughter was very, very, sick for months. She was losing weight, headaches and you think the very worst as a parent. It was a super scary time. Even the doctors, it took them a long time to diagnose because we kept bringing her back and telling them ‘no something is wrong’ and because it was kind of flu and cold season they kept pushing it off as a sinus infection or a flu," explains Camba.
“They finally did do an actual blood test to check her glucose, her blood sugars and within a hour they called me back and said she has diabetes type 1."
Camba goes on to add that her daughters’ pancreas was attacked and was no longer able to naturally produce cells that create insulin which in turn has made her dependent on the drug.
Diabetes requires the constant checking of blood sugars whether it be before a meal, during sports or just simply throughout the day. Calculations must be made in accordance to what food is being consumed.
Although it is an extra step(s) that needs to be added to the daily routine, the technology is constantly changing and becoming more and more helpful to manage the disease.
"There has been some really great new technology over the past 10 years. I've come across ones that are inserted right in your arm or leg and you just swipe the metre and it will automatically tell you and send it to your phone,” said Camba.
Although there is no cure for the disease Camba believes it is important to rally together and raise awareness or find other ways to make it easier for diabetics to live their lives. This is why fundraising is so important.
Since the diagnosis hit so close to home, Camba has made an effort to continuously fundraise. She has done fundraisers such as paying $5 to wear jeans at work, her daughter and her have done a popcorn and bake sale a few weeks ago and now she will be trying her luck with the Venue Bar and Grill.
"It is October the 4th, cocktails are at 6:30 p.m. dinner is at 7:30 p.m. I've got some amazing donations for our silent auction and we've got a live band, the Steve McQueen Band. It's $25 dollars for the tickets and that gives you your dinner and the full night of silent auction and the band," said Camba.
If you can, come out to support, come out for dinner or if you have anything you would like to donate to the silent auction or are interested in tickets contact Keri Camba at 587-434-6790.
