Diabetes in Real Life: Dana Boivin

At three and a half years old, Dana Boivin’s parents knew something was wrong. She had been grumpy, and she would throw the most phenomenal tantrums. On two occasions, as a tiny toddler, she had removed the mattress from her bed and shoved it against the door. On another occasion, Dana pulled all the drawers out of the dresser at her Grandma's house. After a tumultuous couple of months, Dana and her family went on a big family camping trip at Slave Lake. Dana didn't have the energy she usually had and wasn't doing any of the activities she loved. She drank only water, refusing special drinks like pop and juices. She was going to the bathroom all the time. Dana’s mom asked her brother, a doctor, if they could come to see him once they got back. He said they could come, and Dana probably just had a bladder infection. Then he joked, "or she has diabetes. Wouldn't that suck". On July 12, 2000, Dana was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Dana’s parents, Laurie and Jim, worked hard to ensure Dana had a relatively normal childhood. They made sure her balanced meals included space for treats, helped her participate in physical activities, and helped Dana's aunt learn how to give insulin injections and check Dana's blood sugar so she could have sleepovers with her cousin. Jim joined the Alberta Diabetes Foundation as a volunteer and helped them plan their first fun run in 2001. Laurie came into school on pizza party days and hot lunch Fridays to weigh and measure Dana's food so she could always participate in social eating events. Dana explains, "I can't imagine having a different set of parents in this journey. Mine worked so hard to make sure I was never left out because of my diabetes. I'm so thankful for them."

"Living with diabetes is a challenge. Every. Single. Day. I could do the same thing every day, and my diabetes would respond differently. It is a huge burden on me mentally, physically, and emotionally."

As a young teen, Dana started taking a much more active role in her diabetes management. She struggled immensely with the considerable responsibility and the potential for complications. The constant vigilance and desire to manage her disease with perfection resulted in Dana developing a generalized anxiety disorder and depression. Dana explains, "Living with diabetes is a challenge every. Single. Day. I could do the same thing every day, and my diabetes would respond differently. It is a huge burden on me mentally, physically, and emotionally. I wish everyone knew how hard it is, even if I try my best to make it seem easy, and it’s not a big deal. It is a big deal, and it is a very difficult and challenging disease.”

“A cure would mean everything. I want to be able to live freely and

in the moment without the stress of managing this disease. I can't wait until I can move forward with my life without fear of complications.”

For the past 22 years, Dana has been living with diabetes, but she has done her best not to let it limit her. She trained as a nationally ranked springboard diver for seven years, is an avid outdoorswoman who loves hiking, skiing, and swimming, and has a master's degree in environmental history. Dana recently got married and is both excited and nervous about starting a family. She explains, "there are so many unknowns for me when I think about pregnancy and motherhood as someone with type 1 diabetes. I hope I can have a healthy pregnancy, a healthy baby, and raise a healthy child. Then I hope I'm around long enough, without any diabetes complications, to see them grow up."

Despite the challenges and anxieties she faces every day, Dana lives her life to the fullest. 

But Dana can’t wait for the day when there is a cure. “It would mean everything. Diabetes is a burden on me and my loved ones. I want to be able to live freely and in the moment without the stress of managing this disease. I can't wait until I can move forward with my life without fear of complications.”