Regina mom advocates for diabetes awareness

November marks diabetes awareness month and thanks to the advocacy of one Regina mom, Nov.14 will mark Diabetes Awareness Day in the city.

Taryn Schindel’s daughter was diagnosed with diabetes at age 10.

“Diabetes is a hard disease,” She said. “Nobody has a clue of what goes on, how hard it is, how they fight every day for their life, day and night for their life.”

Schindel said her daughter’s diagnosis was a moment of realization for her, a call to action to do more.

“I thought what does Regina do? Because I don’t remember Regina really ever doing anything to bring the awareness,” she said.

She reached out to city hall and Mayor Sandra Masters about the city doing something to mark the event.

Her request was approved and on Nov. 14, city hall will be lit up in blue, the official colour of diabetes awareness month.

“There are over a million people with diabetes and that’s both type one and type two. There are then over six million who are at high risk of it,” said Diabetes Canada president, Laura Syron.

Roughly one in three Canadians have or are at risk of diabetes. In Saskatchewan, 116,000 people are living with the disease.

Some early signs of diabetes include frequent urinating, drinking and feeling hungry more often, loss of weight, blurry vision, and numbness and tingling in the hands or feet.

The disease leads to increased risks of heart attacks, strokes, amputations, loss of eyesight, and dire effects on one’s kidneys.