Annie Chan
Annie's page
Fundraising for JDRF
Story
My dear friends, family and colleagues,
You may be aware that I have committed myself to a couple physical challenges this year.
In January, KILIMANJARO - the highest peak in Africa at nearly 20,000 feet, and
in April, the LONDON MARATHON - 26.2 miles of ?&*@#!
Feb 2010 - I am pleased to report SUCCESS to Uhuru Peak - thanks to the support of an amazing crew and the blood, sweat, tears and sunburns shared with my teammates - we came, we saw and we conquered! Kili...DONE and DONE! Check out the photos! Thanks so much for your support.
April 2010 - It's OVER! How on earth did I survive the whole 26.2 mile course?! The pain is ever-present, but the victory is sweet. Thank you to all the amazing supporters and my friends who came out with bells and signs and all the love that kept me going. I reached the finish line in 5hr40min and I definitely feel physically challenged for the year!
I hope you will share my excitement and nerves and join me in dedicating this year to a great cause...
In the summer of 1984, my family had its first international reunion. My parents noticed David was losing a tremendous amount of weight and after being in the hospital for 3 days and losing almost 10 pounds at age 3, he was diagnosed with diabetes. David is my older brother, a type 1 diabetic (insulin-dependent), diagnosed almost 26 years ago.
At a very young age, he had to learn how to test his blood sugar levels daily by pricking his finger and self-administer 3 - 4 shots a day. Growing up was clearly a challenge as it was not until his early teenage years that he realised he was different from his friends and me; nor did he realise the potential impact in adhering to the same activities as us and of course, eating the same foods. I have been witness to a few hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic reactions where David had no idea what was happening. This includes fainting, seizures... at times I was the only one around to spoon feed him sugar and bring him back to consciousness. Generally, he suffers through extended periods of healing for minor scratches or bruises, blurry vision if watches a late night movie, and 'fat fingers' if his sugar levels are too high.
For me, my brother has determination and drive that's inspirational. Motivated to learn more about himself, he was a certified pharmacist at the age of 17, studied Mathematics pre-Med in university and became a Doctor of Pharmacy at age 24. He has also completed an MBA in Healthcare Administration. He is continuously learning more about his condition, including the latest technology that makes living with type 1 diabetes simpler. For instance, he has been using an insulin pump for a couple years now so that he doesn't have to worry with injections anymore. The medical side of him has made him aware that he can take control of this disease state. He works out regularly, plays recreational sports, has a successful career and relationships.
Increasing awareness for Juvenile Diabetes will help newly diagnosed children accept that this isn't a despair-filled problem, yet something that can be confronted and controlled.
Please help me SHORT THE WAIT for a cure and ACT NOW by submitting a donation of any size.
I hope you understand that this charity is very personal to me and it means so much that you can contribute. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and I hope you will be able to support me this year!
Many many thanks and best wishes for the rest of 2010!
Annie
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