Team Diabetes members conquer Ottawa Marathon
James Thom — Wawatay NewsCall them the conquering heroes.
Sandy Lake’s Stacey Fiddler and Brandon Goodman, both 24, were flanked
by former Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Bentley Cheechoo as they
walked triumphantly through the terminal at the Thunder Bay
International Airport May 26.
Cheechoo, a Constance Lake band member, successfully completed his
10-kilometre walk and the duo from Sandy Lake completed a 10-kilometre
run in the Ottawa Marathon through Team Diabetes.
They were met by a small welcoming party.
Cheechoo was able to walk in the marathon in part because he controls his Type 2 diabetes with a healthy diet and exercise.
When he originally decided to join the walk, Cheechoo said it was
important to raise awareness about the disease because so many
Aboriginals are afflicted with the disease.
Due to various factors including lack of access to healthy foods,
proper educational and recreational programs and high rates of obesity,
diabetes rates are five times higher among Aboriginal Canadians.
Fiddler and Goodman are members of the Team Diabetes First Nation’s Youth Team sponsored by the Dreamcatcher Fund.
The purpose of the First Nation’s Youth Team is to encourage and
inspire First Nations youth to be proactive in their health by
exercising as a means of diabetes prevention.
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