Regional champions make an impact

Put a Squeeze on Diabetes just keeps getting bigger and better as more and more families across Canada come together to raise funds to send kids with type 1 diabetes to camp. In the following stories, you can read about participants who have gone above and beyond in their commitment to host a stand.

Manitoba - Miles D.

Mile’s Story

12 year old Miles Dyer lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He has been living with Type 1 Diabetes since his first birthday. Growing up It has been hard for him to be the only one with diabetes among his peers. When he was old enough to attend his local D-camp, Camp Briardale he jumped at the chance! This will be his 5th year attending camp. He says the best thing about camp is the amazing feeling of being like everyone else. When he was younger it helped him to see the older kids manage their diabetes on their own and now he enjoys helping the younger ones and making new friends.

This is Miles' 3rd year as a Put a Squeeze participant. His first year he was the only participant in Manitoba, last year he was excited to have 9 other families in the province join him in setting up lemonade stands! This year he hopes to at least double that number and is honoured to be the regional Put a Squeeze campion for Manitoba again!

Miles loves spreading awareness about Type 1 Diabetes through his work as a JDRF ambassador and Put a Squeeze regional champion. He has given speeches at Diabetes Canada's Best Banting Galas and the Lions club convention about his involvement with Put a Squeeze and D-Camps. He also lectured for medical students at the University of Manitoba, and promoted Put a Squeeze on Global tv and various radio stations. Last year on World Diabetes day he organized a diabetes educational school assembly and raised funds for Diabetes Canada through a school bake sale.

Miles will be setting up his stand at various locations around Winnipeg this summer in the hopes that every child with Type 1 Diabetes gets to experience D-Camp!

Atlantic Canada - Nick V.

Click here to read his story!

British Columbia - Trinity

Check out Trinity's YouTube Video!

Saskatchewan North - Laura Wooff-Whiteman

Laura’s Story

Hi I’m Laura. I’m a kid just like you! I like a bunch of things like badminton, Fridays, dogs and cats, Undertale and I like D-Camp. I’m 11 years old and I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when I was almost 8. I have been to D-Camp 2 times and both of them were very fun. My favorite thing about D-Camp was tubing and the water trampoline. I made a lot of friends too, some of which I already knew but some were new.

I fundraised for D-Camp last year because I wanted people who may not have enough money to experience what I did at D-Camp. I had a lemonade stand and asked people for help and raised almost $800. This year I want to do more. Put a Squeeze will be fun and I hope you do it too

Check out Laura's YouTube Video!

Saskatchewan South - Mickey

Ontario Regional Champion - Ethan Vincze

Ethan’s Story

Ethan was diagnosed October 30th, 2008 at the age of 5. It was the day before Halloween and he was so looking forward to wearing his cool, new Darth Vader costume. He was such a champ that year. We managed to have him released from the hospital for a few hours to attend his school's Halloween parade and a bit of neighbourhood trick or treating with his brother and sister. Even at such a young age he understood he could not eat the treats he was collecting but was just happy to be with his family. Type 1 children are warriors that face a battle each and every day. They are often the only children in their schools to have this illness and can often feel isolated. D-Camps, in particular Camp Huronda, has been a game changer for Ethan. It is here that he is able to feel "normal" for 2 weeks each year.

It is here that he has developed friendships with people that can truly understand him. It is here that he gets to be a kid and spend summer days swimming, canoeing, biking, and learning about nature. It is here that he has developed leadership skills and learned to manage his diabetes. This is why it has been our family's mission for the last 4 years to raise money for Put a Squeeze on Diabetes. Each summer Ethan hosts a lemonade stand in our community and has managed to raise almost $7000 to help send other kids to camp. Ethan knows that camp has had such a big impact on his life and he wants to make sure that other children have the same opportunity as him. Here is hoping we have another successful year.