Dawson Fox, 9, is getting out there again with his 12-year-old sister McKenna with a goal of raising $5,000 in the next few weeks for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Dawson and McKenna created Dawson's Team last year, and they raised about $3,000.
Since Dawson was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes Feb. 1, 2009, "We take each day as it comes," say parents Kristina and Trevor Fox. "We believe as parents our job is to take what we can away from Dawson." Dawson is managed 24 hours a day.
"We have learned not to have a big reaction to a high or low but just to deal with it," noted Kristina and Trevor. "We watch for patterns and change things as needed. We keep a log book of all blood sugar checks, the carbohydrates Dawson eats, and for insulin, we work out ratios depending on patterns we see."
Dawson has blood sugar checks approximately 10 times a day and is insulin-dependent, with a minimum of four insulin injections a day.
Dawson played hockey this past season with the Atom Rep B Swift Datoo Chiefs.
Currently, he is playing both spring hockey with the Irly Tim-Br Hawks and mosquito baseball with the Investors Group Blackhawks.
In addition, he is an active member of the Crown Isle junior golf program.
Mom and Dad stay pretty close in those high-activity times, as it is important to monitor Dawson for low blood sugar levels (below four) or high blood sugar levels (above 10).
Dawson has more than just the support of his entire family.
Dawson has a fabulous pediatrician, Dr. Natalie Aird, family physician, Dr. Wayne Crowe, and pediatric endocrinologist at BC Children's Hospital, Dr. Sue Stock.
Dawson also has support in more ways than one on the ice.
Playing Atom Rep B hockey this year, he was fortunate enough to have a safety person, Rico Holland, who would do his checks during hockey games. Approximately once per period, Holland would do a blood sugar check. If Dawson was on the low side, he would treat it with some sugar.
Kristina and Trevor would watch from the stands as Holland signalled Dawson's blood sugar levels to them.
Dawson wasn't the only player on his team with Type 1 diabetes.
Coach Brent Brucker's daughter, Aimee, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in January 2010.
Brucker says, "That wasn't that long ago ... and yet it feels like we've been doing this for a few years now."
The Fox family credits their close network of family and friends around them for the success that Dawson has. Dawson has a wonderful bright attitude. Dawson is young and has that innocence still.
Kristina and Trevor Fox hope you can help with any kind of donations small or large to find a cure.
Dawson and McKenna will be at The Comox Centre Mall this Friday from 2:30 to 5 between Extra Foods and Rexall Pharmacy, collecting donations for the JDRF and the upcoming Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes.
Pharmasave at 2225 Guthrie Rd. in Comox is where Dawson gets all of his diabetic supplies. The store is having Dawson and McKenna May 28 from noon to 3 for another fundraising afternoon.
The Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes is being held June 5 at 9:30 a.m. at Simms Millennium Park.
Visit Dawson's Internet page at http://jdrfca.donordrive.com/participant/dawson, where it is easy to make a donation online and to get more information.
— The Fox family