Hi, my name is Hennessy!

I have set up this page to share the journey of my Grade 12 Capstone Project, a 5 day, over 100 km walk on Vancouver Island from Nanoose Bay to Comox from March 23-27.

As a Type 1 Diabetic, I will be raising funds to donate to Diabetes Canada in support of D-Camps, and BC Children's Hospital Foundation. Both have been a huge part of my care and my have taught me to not only survive with diabetes, but to thrive and embrace it!

When I was first diagnosed with Diabetes at 10 years old, my life changed within the blink of an eye! I was a happy go lucky kid who didn't have to worry about much, and then all of a sudden, I had to care about every single thing I ate or drank, any activity I did, and micromanage my daily life with injections, calculations, diet discipline and so much more! I was so fortunate, though, to have the BC Children's Hospital and their Diabetes Care Team spend 2 full days teaching and training me and my family to understand diabetes and how I had to manage it in my life. Since then, BC Children's Hospital has continued to provide me with ongoing care which is so important in ensuring my health now, and paving they way for dealing with this disease as an adult.

Diabetes Canada has a special place in my heart as they host a Summer camp just for diabetic kids! My parents thought I would never be able to experience an overnight camp, because I needed medical care while there, something that normal camps can't provide. When I heard about D-Camps, a week long overnight camp with round the clock health care staff and doctors, where I got to experience the magic and friendships with other diabetic kids, I was over the moon. I learned so much there and got to be with other kids like me, it was life changing! I want to help other kids have the opportunity to attend D-Camps as well, which is a huge expense, so these funds will help Diabetes Canada continue to provide this programs for those in need.

Finally, because I I love STEM so much, I wanted to do a BIG project that also involved scientific research, logging and identifying patterns in diabetes management during this trek, fundraising, community outreach, diabetes awareness, high level planning and physical and mental fortitude!

As a result, the Diabetes Discovery Trek was born!

Thank you for your support on my journey and to the many individuals and families who live with or who are affected by diabetes. This disease does not define me, and I hope that others can learn from my experience!