Performance Newsletter: Summer 2013

PERFORMANCE An Animas Canada Publication Summer • 2013

LEAVING HOME AND DOING IT “DIABETES-RIGHT”!

TOUGH MUDDER WITH TYPE 1 PUMP PROTECTION THE BASICS ANIMAS PUMPERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE WHAT IS INSULIN ON BOARD (IOB)?

FEATURE STORY

ALICIA MCGRISKIN TO SERVE AND PROTECT

FEATURE STORY

ALICIA MCGRISKIN: TO SERVE AND PROTECT Alicia McGriskin ignored the naysayers and is living her dream as a frontline police officer.

Constable Alicia McGriskin wasn’t thinking of her pump the evening she jumped into a frigid river to save a drowning man.

It was late on a chilly October day in Peterborough, Ontario when the call came in. A man who appeared intoxicated was behaving erratically next to the Otonabee River. By the time Alicia had arrived at the scene, the man had fallen in.

After throwing the man a flotation device several times, he went under—and didn’t come back up. Alicia removed her gun belt and bulletproof vest, and without a second thought, dove right in.

“It all happened so fast,” recalls Alicia.

“I reached down and pulled him up over the side. It must have been the coldest water I’ve ever been in.”

It wasn’t until she had returned to the

station and was changing into dry clothes that she remembered her pump.

“I remember thinking, ’Oh my gosh, my pump!’ But there it was, working fine.”

For her heroic efforts, Alicia was honoured with a certificate of bravery, the force’s highest honour. When interviewed by the local press and asked about her actions, she answered in her characteristic humble way: “It’s not something you think about. You just do it.”

The daughter of dairy farmers from Norwood, Ontario, Alicia wanted to be a police officer for as long as she could remember. “When I was young, I went to a baseball tournament with my parents.

Someone had brought their off-duty police dog and I was just so intrigued.”

From that day on, her dream of becoming a police officer never wavered—not even the day she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Alicia remembers it well.

“It was Thanksgiving weekend and we were supposed to go to the movies.

I had been experiencing all the usual symptoms and was so fatigued. My mom took me to the hospital. When we were told the diagnosis, she started to cry.

I was ‘What’s that? What’s diabetes?’

When she told me I wouldn’t be eating Halloween candy this year, that’s when I started crying,” laughs Alicia.

For the next seven years, managing diabetes seemed to come easily to Alicia.

A naturally gifted athlete, Alicia played hockey, baseball and school sports.

Growing up on a dairy farm, she and her siblings helped with the cows the moment they got home from school.

“It was the hardest work I’ve ever done,” says Alicia.

About halfway through high school, Alicia noticed that controlling her blood glucose was becoming more challenging.

Her healthcare team recommended a change to her insulin mix, and she quickly regained good control. But what would prove much more challenging was confronting her pediatrician’s attitude.

“One day, I confessed to him that I wanted to be a police officer. He said to me ‘You’re never going to get hired.

There are way too many hurdles.’,” says Alicia. “I still remember that day, and probably always will. It only strengthened my resolve.”

After high school, she enrolled in a 2-year police foundations program and passed the rigorous fitness, psychological and aptitude test the first time. She applied to the police force even before she had completed the program, and received a phone call in July of 2007. More physical and psychological tests followed. When she was accepted into the force, Alicia was elated. “It was such a good feeling.

“It was such a good feeling. I felt like it reconfirmed everything I knew. It felt like I had won.”

I felt like it reconfirmed everything I knew.

It felt like I had won.”

“I love not knowing what each day will bring,” enthuses Alicia. “I meet new people every day, and once in a while I get to help people.”

When she first joined the force in 2007, she was still on insulin injections. It didn’t take long, however, for the adrenaline rush of urgent calls and the overnight shifts to start taking a toll on her diabetes regimen. It was time to take a look at pump technology.

Alicia has now been a full-time member of the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police force for five years, and is one of its youngest members. She’s both a frontline officer and a “scenes of crime” officer, responsible for gathering evidence such as fingerprints and swabs.

She travels solo in a police car, and works four days on and four days off in 11- and 12-hour shifts.

Asked what she enjoys most about police work, Alicia doesn’t hesitate.

“I was pretty apprehensive at first. I didn’t like the idea of something connected to me constantly,” says Alicia. After comparing several pumps, she was convinced the OneTouch® Ping® (from Animas® and OneTouch®) was the right choice. Not only did the Animas® pump offer a meter-remote feature, even more important, it was designed not to interfere with radio communications.

“Our radios are paramount to officer safety.” She wears her pump concealed underneath her bulletproof vest so that the tubing isn’t hanging out in case she’s in a foot chase or grappling with a perpetrator.

Off duty, Alicia leads a busy, active life.

When she’s not coaching the goalies for her stepson’s hockey team, she’s playing in goal for her own team in an adult competitive hockey league. In the spring, she enjoys playing on a slo-pitch team.

Alicia also takes the time to give back to her community. She helps her precinct with the Pedal for Hope Cycling Tour for pediatric cancer care, and presents at schools and community events on behalf of her detachment. Two years ago, she rediscovered her passion for the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes, and was joined by 15 of her extended family members in the 2012 Walk.

More recently, she completed her first half-marathon. After her race, she was ecstatic to see her glucose at 6.5 mmol/L. Her 14-week training program not only helped her complete the half-marathon in less than three hours, she noticed she now needs less insulin. Her next goal? A full marathon.

The insignia on the badge that Alicia wears on her uniform reads “Friendly.

Professional. Helpful.” Alicia embodies all of these qualities and more—and has proven that with resilience, perseverance and courage, anyone can live their dreams.

LEAVING HOME AND DOING IT “DIABETES-RIGHT”!

Joe Solowiejczyk, RN, MSW, CDE Family Therapist, Type 1 since 1961 Graduating from high school is no doubt one of the most exciting times in a teenager’s life. In a few months, you’ll be leaving home to go away to school. It’s a big, incredibly awesome transition, and for the first time you’ll actually be living on your own for an extended period of time. And if you have diabetes, it means that you’ll have to be prepared to start managing most of it on your own.

You’ll be in new and unfamiliar surroundings, so it’ll be important for you and your folks to think about how to set yourself up, diabeteswise, before you actually pack your bags.

Here are a few things you should think about to set yourself up for success: Check in with Student Health a few months before you land on campus.

Try to meet with the director and introduce yourself to him/her. Have a letter from your diabetes doctor explaining a little bit about your history so that they can have it in your student health records. What you want to do is to become a “known entity” to the staff before you actually need them to help you in case you get a bad case of the flu and you need help managing your diabetes because you’re too ill to do it by yourself.

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Remember, you’re more on your own at school and the expectation is that you’ll be able to take steps to get what you need for yourself, by yourself. You’ll have to learn to

speak up and advocate for yourself. Doing this ahead of time, while you’re not under any stress, will really help you feel less awkward about asking for help and feeling supported when you need it. Being known by the staff will make it easier to get the help you need— whether it’s medication, IV’s or emergency diabetes supplies because you ran out. You might want to explain to them what a diabetes emergency is like, whether it’s mild hypoglycemia or more severe situations, including symptoms and best treatments.

Identify diabetes resources in your school community. That means locating a pharmacy, introducing yourself there, and making sure that they have prescriptions for you on record for your medications and diabetes supplies like test strips and insulin. Even though you’ll be bringing supplies from home, you’ll definitely want to make sure that you can get them if you run out during the semester.

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Try, if you can, to locate a diabetes doctor or endocrinologist in your school community, in addition to any of the physicians that will be available to you through student health. You might want to see this person while you’re at school, and your usual doctor when you’re home. Again, it’s about being “known” ahead of time.

This is important, especially if you have to be hospitalized for any reason, and not just for diabetes reasons. If you are hospitalized, you can have the hospital doctor contact your local endocrinologist, who will be able to consult for you and manage your diabetes competently while you’re there. Or, make sure that your home diabetes doctor has privileges at the hospital in your school community.

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Meet or talk with your dorm or residence counsellor and try to talk with your future roommates before the semester starts. Explain to them about your diabetes and what it takes to manage it on a daily basis. You might want to tell them 4

about diabetes emergency situations, like having a mild hypoglycemia, or even a more severe one – telling them about the symptoms and what’s the best treatment for you and how to handle it. They might even be willing to learn how to give you glucagon! They need to know: this is about being responsible for yourself as well as to others in your circle of friends and acquaintances. Use your judgment and intuition about this. You don’t want to scare anybody away, but you do want to make sure that 2-3 people in your dorm know that you have Type 1 diabetes. This is about responsibly and competently setting up a support network for yourself.

Doing all this ahead of time will ensure that you’ll be able to concentrate on the most exciting things about going away to school: the adventure, making new friends, going to parties, playing school sports, taking great classes. This will help because you’ll know that you’ve built a framework, a foundation for your diabetes management that will allow you to go for the gusto.

It’s about taking that big step out and into the world, making sure that it’s a solid and responsible one, and giving you a sense of accomplishment of doing things right.

SANDY’S CORNER A column brought to you by Sandy Struss, Marketing Manager for Animas Canada.

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1989, and still going strong!

TOUGH MUDDER WITH TYPE 1 showing that people with diabetes can manage their condition and successfully complete such a grueling challenge.

A group of us decided to do it together, including a couple of my Animas colleagues. “TeamOne: Diabadasses” was formed.

After seven months of training and preparation, countless hours at the gym, and with the support of a team and an entire community, I am now officially a “Tough Mudder.”

Promoted as “Probably the Toughest Event on the Planet,” Tough Mudder events are hardcore 10-12 mile (16-19 km) obstacle courses designed

by British Special Forces to test your all-around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. With challenges as diverse as climbing over walls, to enduring electric shocks, to swimming through freezing cold water (aptly named Arctic Enema), and wading through miles of mud, Tough Mudder is not for the faint-of-heart.

For me, taking something like this on was more than a little daunting, as I’ve been a more-or-less sedentary workaholic for most of my adult life.

The goal was to do whatever it takes to become an athlete again – and to complete the course with a team of other Type 1’s,

To say that the journey wasn’t what I had expected it to be would be an understatement – dealing with injuries and training through pain was not part of my original plan. I had enthusiasm and determination to spare, but back and hip pain threatened to derail my efforts, perhaps even my ability to participate.

It took a team of healthcare professionals (physiotherapist, massage therapist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, personal trainer) just to get me to the starting line!

Staying in the game mentally and not giving up — but wanting so badly just to cross that finish line — was probably the hardest part of it all. The care and support shown by my teammates went beyond what I could have expected, and meant all the more knowing I was the weakest link on the team due to my physical limitations.

From a diabetes perspective, I learned a tonne about managing blood sugars during different types and intensities of exercise over the months of training.

But on event day, I pretty much had to throw it all out the window: nervous energy and anticipation (and that damn adrenaline!) changed everything!

An additional concern we had as a team of Type 1’s was where and how to pack supplies like a BG meter, snacks and

supplies for lows – all while trying to keep such items dry.

Armed with small backpacks, our preparation came in handy, and thankfully we were able to help each other by stopping and testing as needed. And can I just say how awesome it was to have a waterproof Animas® pump? When every other obstacle involved water in some way, the practicality of a waterproof pump sure paid off!

Having survived all 18 km and earning the highly coveted orange Tough Mudder headband, what did I learn?

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If you know “why” you’re doing something, you can endure almost any “how.”

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Reaching a goal is as much a mental game as it is a physical one.

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Peace of mind comes from giving your very best, and letting go of your attachment to a particular outcome.

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Diabetes shouldn’t stop you from pursuing a goal, but being prepared is key to being successful.

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The journey is a whole lot more fun when you share it with friends!

Thank you to everyone who was a part of this great adventure – your support and encouragement meant the world to me. I feel so proud to have survived this outrageous challenge, and will forever be grateful for the memories and laughs along the way. Hoo-ra!

To read Sandy’s other posts online, please visit Sandy’s Corner on Animas.ca at http://www.animas.ca/SandysCorner

A SUMMER RECIPE FROM CHEF SIVA Chef and Animas pumper Siva Swaminathan uses her culinary skills to develop low GI and healthy recipes for people with diabetes.

This summer, Siva is taking on an enormous personal challenge: she is doing the Camino de Santiago, walking from France to Spain through the Pyrennes. Participants walked the first 200 km stage in July and will complete the 750 km stage in September, but for many the journey started much earlier. Siva began preparing herself for this ambitious undertaking with diligent training as early as April. Says Siva, “For me, the battle is balancing my walking, my meals and my blood sugar.”

To read more about Siva’s journey, visit siva-swaminathan.com.

BARLEY SALAD WITH LEGUMES & VEGETABLES This is a great low GI salad that’s loaded with fibre and a healthy alternative to pasta salad. It’s best served at room temperature and ìs fantastic for warm summer days as a side dish for a BBQ or picnic, or as an energy booster for a fitness regime.

• Prep time: 10 min

• Cooking time: 30 min • Serves: 6 people

Chef’s note: Pot barley has more fibre than pearl barley and is a great alternative to rice or pasta.

It’s great to cook with, as it works just like rice or pasta!

SALAD INGREDIENTS

DRESSING INGREDIENTS

1 cup (240 ml) pot barley, rinsed and soaked in water (1 hr)

1 tbsp (15 ml) coarse Dijon mustard

4 cups (945 ml) water

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) minced garlic

1 cup (240 ml) of black eyed peas or legume of your choice, drained and washed

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) dried oregano

1 cup (240 ml) diced English cucumber, with skin

3 tbsp (45 ml) white wine vinegar or lemon juice

1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped red onion

4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil

1/2 cup (120 ml) diced green pepper

3 tbsp (45 ml) chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup (120 ml) diced red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground cumin

1/2 cup (120 ml) grated carrots 1/2 cup (120 ml) canned corn, drained and washed 1 cup (240 ml) halved cherry tomatoes (optional) 1/4 cup (60 ml) sliced black olives, drained and washed (optional) 1/2 cup (120 ml) goji berries (optional) 1/2 cup (120 ml) pumpkin seeds (optional)

METHOD 1. In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, bring water to boil and add barley. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until barley is al dente (firm), then drain and let cool.

2. Drain black eyed peas and corn. Rinse a couple of times and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, add cooled barley and all the salad ingredients.

4. In a screw top jar, put all the dressing ingredients in and shake vigorously to combine. Pour over the salad and mix well. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper according to taste. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least half a day for the flavours to mix well. Serve at room temperature or cold. *Note: This salad could be served on a bed of mixed green salad. For added protein, add grilled fish or chicken on top!

Nutritional Information per ¾ cup (180 ml): 228 Calories; 5.2 g Fat; 8 g Protein; 35 g Carbohydrate; 2.2 g Sugar; 8.3 g Fibre; 270 mg Sodium Recipe prepared by Siva Swaminathan, Chef/Owner/Instructor of Chezsiva Cooking School, www.chezsiva.com © 2013 Chezsiva. All Rights Reserved

CONNECTED IN MOTION: BREATHING FRESH AIR INTO DIABETES EDUCATION

Five years ago, Chloe was alone in dealing with her Type 1 diabetes. Having been diagnosed at the age of 18, she missed the camps and activities designed to promote a sense of community and social connection with other young people dealing with Type 1. She searched and searched for a young adult Type 1 group, but sadly came Photo: Mike Last / MikeLastPhoto.com up empty-handed. Instead of accepting this, however, Chloe set out on a journey to link up with other people Chloe, far right, with her Connected in Motion friends! like her—young, active, and living with Type 1 diabetes.

In early 2009, Chloe realized this dream, bringing together two dozen people with Type 1 for a weekend of outdoor adventure. But, instead of seeing this as the end goal of her journey, Chloe and these new-found Type 1 friends turned it into the beginning of a project, organization, and community: Connected in Motion.

Today, Connected in Motion is a registered charity, offering dozens of programs and events across Canada every year. Our aim is to bring those living with Type 1 diabetes together to support and inspire one another to live life to the fullest. We do this through outdoor activities like canoeing, surfing, and skiing, but also through less formal social meet-ups. Whatever the event, our educators are there to help you challenge your limits, and learn new skills from your experiences and your peers. Please visit our website www.connectedinmotion.ca for more information about upcoming events and programs. And don’t forget to join our ever-growing online community via our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/connectedinmotion and Twitter profile @connectinmotion!

DIABETES HOPE FOUNDATION Since 1999, Diabetes Hope Foundation has been delivering essential community health programs for children and youth living with diabetes. Our programs aim to reward, empower, and provide education and support for youth to achieve their full poential WITHIN and BEYOND diabetes.

Working with medical professionals specializing in diabetes across the country, the Foundation continues to respond to the changing needs of Youth-in-Transition when and where they need it most. It is our hope that with our help, these children can grow to adulthood more successfully to live a healthier tomorrow.

Our vision is achieved through the delivery of our community health programs: • Scholarship Program

• At-Risk Youth Diabetes Retreat

• Alumni Mentorship Program

• Aboriginal Diabetes Retreat Program

Thanks to the generous support of our donors, volunteers and families, we are inspired every day by the achievements and successes of our children and youth. Visit us at www.diabeteshopefoundation.com for more information about how you can help!

TIPS & TRICKS

PUMP PROTECTION – THE BASICS

At Animas, we know our pumpers like living an active life. But all that rough and tumble can be tough on your Animas® pump or meter-remote. And sometimes, accidents do happen.

Made of thick, flexible rubber, skins help protect against the bump and grind of daily life. And with 8 colours to choose from, our skins don’t just protect your Animas® pump, they look good too!

Alongside a skin, here are some other ways to keep your pump safe and sound.

Apply a lens protection film A lens protection film provides added protection for your pump, keeping its high-contrast OLED† colour display safe from scratches.

Organic Light-Emitting Diode

†

Put it in a case Carrying cases and clips help keep your pump in good shape, and make life easier by allowing you to carry your pump outside your pocket, or even in your bra.

Get it insured An insulin pump is a big investment, so it makes sense to have additional insurance through your homeowner’s policy if it’s available. Inquire with your insurance company directly or contact us for assistance.

To purchase an accessory or receive assistance with your insurance company, contact Animas Canada Customer Care at 1-866-406-4844.

ANIMAS PUMPERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

SHAWN SHEPHEARD SHINES AS THE HOST OF THE SUGAR FREE SHAWN SHOW Even over the phone, it’s easy to tell Shawn is smiling.

His ear-to-ear grin is evident in his upbeat, cheery voice--and it’s hard not to smile in return.

We caught up with Shawn at his Toronto home where he’s getting ready to shoot the next episode of his online inspirational health show, The Sugar Free Shawn Show. Headed into its second season, the show is pure Shawn: engaging, positive and just plain fun. Episodes, which run around six minutes each, feature real stories about real people who are living well with diabetes. But more than just a “feel good” show, Sugar Free Shawn also aims to offer practical tips and advice (without being preachy), from building your “diabetes dream team” to exercise to discovering “what’s your why?”

Before launching his show, Shawn, an internationally-recognized inspirational speaker who averages more than 60 engagements a year, made a series of videos for Success Television, many of which are posted on YouTube. His presentations touch on his own journey from Type 1 diagnosis in 1997 to crossing the finish line of his first marathon in 2002, starting his own business and not letting circumstances get in the way of achieving your dreams.

Although the videos were popular, Shawn still felt there was a need to find a way to continue the energy and connection he felt at his speaking events.

“Too often in the speaking and event world, it’s ‘It was nice meeting you, have a nice life,’” explains Shawn. “I wanted to set up something where we could build meaningful, lasting relationships.”

His “a-ha” moment came following a presentation he gave to a group of healthcare professionals.

“A diabetes nurse educator came up to me and told me that she shows my videos to patients in her office. I asked her ‘What videos?’

‘The ones on YouTube,’ she said. I realized there was an opportunity to build connections in the diabetes community through my own channels,” says Shawn, and The Sugar Free Shawn Show was born.

To give those in the diabetes community a place they could “hang out” and call home, Shawn also set up a Sugar Free Shawn Facebook page where those who had attended his presentations and others could connect. His audience is growing not only amongst those with diabetes, but with healthcare professionals as well. It’s just one ______________________________________ more way Shawn is fulfilling his mission to help those in healthcare better serve their diabetes patients.

“When you do good things with good intentions, good things happen.”

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Off camera, Shawn lives his own life to the fullest. A self-described hockey fanatic, he plays every chance he can get, and has coached for the Slap Shot Newcomer Hockey Program for children for over 15 years. He has completed three marathons (albeit slowly as he likes to admit), and is the past chair of the CDA’s Advocacy Council.

As if he isn’t busy enough, this fall Shawn is releasing a new book titled The Sweet Life, which will showcase what Shawn does best: sharing stories and lessons from his own life to better the lives of others.

His drive to create a community—through his show, presentations, and social media—comes from his life philosophy. As Shawn states, “It was important for me to get clear on what I wanted in life and why I wanted it, and then move into action to make it happen.

I don’t want to say that ‘Someday I will.....’ I want that someday to be today.

“When you do good things with good intentions, good things happen.”

To learn more about Shawn and to view all episodes of the The Sugar Free Shawn Show, visit SugarFreeShawn.com.

You can also connect with Shawn on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ShawnShepheard

ATHLETE’S CORNER

DANIEL CIRILLO: BATTING 1000 Daniel Cirillo is a AAA baseball player from Brampton, Ontario who isn’t letting diabetes get in the way of his dream of making the big leagues.

When Daniel Cirillo is standing on the pitcher’s mound, he can’t afford to be thinking about anything but the 71 mph fastball he’s about to deliver—least of all his diabetes.

The 14-year-old relief pitcher and left fielder for the Brampton Royals AAA team was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes four years ago. But Daniel hasn’t let his diabetes hold him back from pursuing his dream of a U.S. baseball scholarship and a chance at the Majors.

Daniel admits that he was furious when he was first diagnosed. The insulin needles, the finger pokes, counting carbs, and waking up at 7 a.m. to test blood sugars were all irritating disruptions and burdens that interfered with his carefree pre-teen life.

But Daniel and his family were quick to bounce back and adjust to his diabetes. Today, Daniel doesn’t let diabetes control him or get in the way of whatever it is he wants to do. As he explains, “To me, managing my diabetes is no different than my friend having to carry a puffer for his asthma, or my friend who has to have a syringe for his nut allergies. Sometimes I forget I’m wearing a pump; sometimes I even forget I have diabetes.”

Now in his fourth year of AAA and all-star ball—the highest level played in minor baseball—Daniel practices or plays 10 months of the year. During peak baseball season, he trains or plays up to seven days a week, and travels almost every weekend to tournaments as far away as Florida. This baseball marathon demands ________________________________________________ perseverance, Daniel doesn’t let diabetes control stamina, and determination— him or get in the way of whatever traits that the Cirillo it is he wants to do. family seems to ________________________________________________ have in abundance.

Royals head coach Frank Fascia has coached Daniel since he was nine.

“Daniel has always been a quiet, excellent athlete,” says Frank. “He packs a lot of punch for an athlete of his size. I recall one high-profile tournament in which he picked off three runners at first base in a row. It was a hot muggy day, but Daniel was still able to think through the game and perform.”

Daniel’s mom Karen has also inspired him to play a bigger role in the diabetes community. He has participated in a variety of charitable events including diabetes walks, a virtual walk, fundraising skates, and, more recently, Karate Chops Diabetes - an event organized in part by Animas Hero Chase Pelletier. In school, Daniel works hard to achieve the grades he will need for U.S. colleges, and is proactive about making sure his teachers know about his condition.

Daniel is clear about what he wants in the future, and looks to Brandon Morrow for inspiration. The Toronto Blue Jays pitcher describes himself as a Type 1 diabetic first and a major league pitcher second. Like his hero, Daniel works hard to stay on top of his diabetes.

“I can control diabetes; it’s not going to control me,” says Daniel.

“With control, you can do whatever you love.”

ATHLETE’S CORNER

MEGAN BEAMISH: SPRINTING TOWARDS HER GOAL Megan Beamish’s focus and drive help her find success on the track—and with the highest levels of government.

If you want to keep up with Megan Beamish, you’re going to have run—fast.

Fifteen-year-old Megan is a rising star with the Halifax, Nova Scotia-based club HaliFAST. She trains three times a week almost year-round in the 100 m sprint, triple jump, high jump, and long jump, and during peak track and field season, competes almost every weekend in meets throughout the Maritime region.

It’s a sport and passion she discovered two short years after she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. “Starting in grade 7, I could try out for any school athletic team, so I tried out for everything: badminton, soccer, basketball. But I only made the track team,” recalls Megan.

Frustrated, but not discouraged, she made the most of the opportunity and sought out a club outside of her school team to hone her skills. “The day I stepped foot on the track for HaliFAST was the best day of my life,” says Megan. “It felt natural. I had found my niche.”

In 2011, just one year after she started training and competing, she won four medals at the provincial championships, and was later awarded the “Nova Scotia Bantam Female Athlete of the Year” by the track and field association. Now, two years later, she’s aiming to make the Nova Scotia Legion Team and compete in the national championships in August. Longer term, she has her eye on the Olympic Games.

During training and competition, Megan relies on her Animas® pump to help her manage spikes and drops in her blood glucose. She’ll wear her pump in the early part of events, and disconnect when she’s actually competing.

A pumper for three ________________________________________________ years, Megan’s favourite features “When I was diagnosed, I decided by far are the ezBG right then and there in the (“Because I don’t hospital that my mission would be have to do any calculations,” says to help find a cure for diabetes.”

Megan), and the ________________________________________________ temp basal.

When she’s not at the track, you’ll find Megan talking—talking about diabetes, that is. To Megan, finding a cure for diabetes means talking about the disease. “When I was diagnosed, I decided right then and there in the hospital that my mission would be to help find a cure for diabetes.”

An articulate, straight-A student who aspires to be a pediatric endocrinologist, Megan asserts that there’s a lack of understanding about the disease, especially about the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. “If there was more education in schools, for example, living with diabetes would be easier because people would understand.”

She puts her passion and thoughts into action by sharing her message with audiences everywhere, from her school to Parliament Hill.

In 2012, she travelled to Ottawa as a “Living Proof Champion” delegate for JDRF and National Co-chair for Kids for a Cure lobby day, and in March of this year, she attended the Children With Diabetes Conference in Toronto as one of three Animas Heroes. In July, she represented Canada in Washington, DC where she was one of only six youth delegates with Type 1 diabetes selected from around the world to attend the JDRF Children’s Congress. While there, she met with the Canadian ambassador and top U.S. decision-makers to raise awareness of Type 1 diabetes, and to stress the importance of research to cure, treat, and prevent the disease.

Grateful parents will often thank Megan for helping them better understand what their children are going through. Although her efforts have been recognized in the Nova Scotia Legislature, in newspapers, and on TV, these individual stories of hope and success are what truly inspire and motivate Megan as she continues her quest for a cure, one word at a time.

BEHIND THE SCENES

WHO IS ANIMAS ? ®

diabetes is doing so well and is determined to help those around her in such a way warms my heart! Animas aligns perfectly with my own personal values: that is, to help people honestly and to do everything possible to make their lives easier.

Name: Richard Langevin Position: Territory Manager Why I joined the team at Animas: I’ve worked at Animas for almost seven years. Prior to that, I was a sales representative specializing in diabetes at LifeScan for four years, so I have been close to diabetes for almost 11 years now. Although I don’t have the disease myself, I have tremendous compassion and admiration for the people and their families who live with diabetes every day.

A few fun facts about me: I love travelling with my family. As the father of two teenagers, it’s important to me that they broaden their horizons in order to better understand other people and cultures. Of course, travelling comes with its share of surprises. For example, in this small Egyptian village on Elephantine Island, I wound up with a baby crocodile on my head—it was someone’s pet! (See photo, lower right)

In my job, I have the opportunity to meet and connect with many people and assess what Animas can do to help them live a full and active life. Recently, I received a visit from one of our young Animas pumpers and her mother whom I have known for a few years, and the mother told me what her daughter had written at school about her choice of career. She had explained to her classmates that she wanted to be a veterinarian or “work with Richard at Animas” to help the people around her.

Knowing that this young person with Type 1

What I love about my job: The most rewarding part of my job is feeling that I have a real impact on people’s lives.

In fact, year after year, I see that people remain the priority for Animas, the people we serve and their families, as well as our own Animas family of employees. It is a privilege to do meaningful work with such dedicated colleagues.

Living your best life with diabetes?

If you are an Animas® pumper living life to the fullest, then we want to hear from you!

Send us your favourite photos of you and your Animas® pump doing whatever it is you love to do, and your photo just might get featured in an upcoming newsletter!

Submit photos to newsletter@Animas.ca. All pictures and stories submitted become the property of Animas Canada.

MOTORING ON: CHASE PELLETIER 17 year old Animas® pumper Chase Pelletier is moving on from kart racing to cars, competing in 2 diverse disciplines. He is racing in a Formula 1600 open wheel series in Canada, and in the Pro Touring Car B-Spec Class of the Pirelli World Challenge as part of the Garrett Racing Driver Development and Diabetes Awareness Program in the US. The F1600 program has already seen Chase participating in support races for the 2013 F1 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.

Chase’s Pirelli World Challenge B-Spec races will support the IndyCar series at storied race tracks including Mid-Ohio, Sonoma and the street course in Houston.

We are all so very proud of Chase and wish him the very best of luck in this exciting new stage of his racing career!

Visit www.drive4diabetes.com and www.RacingTowardsACure.com for more information.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS YOUR ANIMAS PUMP? 速

Isabel Lachance on the beach with her daughters Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Meghan Coleman Mayan Ruins of Tulum in Cozumel, Mexico

Paige Bryant ziplining in the cloud forest of Monteverdi, Costa Rica

WHAT IS IOB (INSULIN ON BOARD)?

One of the many benefits of insulin pump therapy is the ability to administer bolus insulin in response to carb intake at meal time, and to correct high blood glucose readings.

Insulin on Board (IOB) is an additional feature that tracks the amount of bolus insulin remaining from recent carb or correction boluses that is still actively lowering blood glucose.

Catherine Aubry, RN, B.Sc. Nsg, CDE,

Clinical Manager, Animas Canada

SETUP ADV 8 Insulin on Board ON IOB-2

This feature is also commonly referred to as Bolus on Board (BOB).1

Total =

Duration

1.10U

N 3.30U 9:55AM Jul 8, 2013 Main Menu

0.00U 1.10U

4.0 Hr

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STATUS 2 IOB=1.70U LAST BOLUS

ezBG Total BG + 2.80U IOB 1.70U

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The IOB feature can be activated in Advanced Set-up menu 8 on both the Animas® 2020 and OneTouch® Ping® insulin pumps.

When the IOB feature is turned on, the pump will calculate and display suggested doses through both the ezCarb and ezBG bolus menus.

The pump continually tracks the amount of active insulin on board and displays the information in Status Screen 2.

BENEFITS OF IOB

• Prevention of “insulin stacking” – over bolusing for food eaten by overlapping two or more boluses.1

• Greater confidence in administering a correction bolus may lead to reduced fear of hypoglycemia.

• Accommodation for individual differences by adjusting the duration of insulin action settings.

TIPS ON WHEN TO CHECK IOB Reminder: IOB can be quickly and easily viewed on the Animas® 2020 insulin pump or the OneTouch® Ping® pump by going to Status Screen 2.

STATUS 2 IOB=1.70U LAST BOLUS

• Check the amount of IOB before doing any activity. A large amount of IOB may require extra carbohydrate intake to prevent hypoglycemia.1

N 3.30U 9:55AM Jul 8, 2013

• If there is an episode of hypoglycemia where there is a large amount of IOB, this may suggest that the Insulin to Carbohydrate ratio (I:C) or the Insulin Sensitivity Factor (ISF) is too strong.

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• Checking IOB before bedtime could help prevent hypoglycemia. A large amount of IOB may indicate that the blood sugar will decrease in the next few hours.

• If there is an episode of hypoglycemia where there is no IOB, this may suggest that the basal rate is too strong or there was too much activity done without proper insulin adjustment.

Always speak with your healthcare professional team before making any changes to your Insulin to Carbohydrate ratio (I:C), Insulin Sensitivity Factor (ISF), or basal rate.

HOW DOES IOB WORK? The examples that follow will help to explain how IOB works. In these examples, we will enter a blood glucose result into the ezCarb bolus option on the Animas® 2020 or the OneTouch® Ping® insulin pump. The amount of insulin on board will be taken into account and displayed with the suggested bolus calculations.

Note: If you do not enter a blood glucose value and just enter the amount of carbohydrates using the ezCarb bolus option, the OneTouch® Ping® insulin pump will recommend the full carb bolus regardless of how much insulin is on board.

A. WHEN BLOOD GLUCOSE IS ABOVE TARGET When using the ezCarb calculator with a blood glucose reading that is above target, the pump will always suggest delivering the amount of insulin needed for the new carbohydrates being eaten.

Bolus Total Carb 3.00U BG + 1.35U IOB 2.15U Total = 3.00U 3.00U Go Type Normal Main Menu

In this example, the amount of carbohydrate to be eaten was 30 grams, and the current blood glucose value entered was 11.0 mmol/L with a target value of 6.0 mmol/L. The pump will always subtract IOB from any recommended correction bolus. In this example, the IOB is greater than the recommended correction so the correction is cancelled completely. When the current blood glucose is above target, the pump will suggest delivering the full amount of insulin needed for the carbohydrate.

B. WHEN BLOOD GLUCOSE IS BELOW TARGET

C. WHEN BLOOD GLUCOSE IS IN TARGET

When using the ezCarb calculator with a blood glucose reading that is below target, the pump will suggest a decreased insulin dose, or no dose for the amount of carbohydrate being eaten to account for insulin on board.

When using the ezCarb calculator with a blood glucose reading that is in the target range and there is insulin on board, the pump will not make any adjustments to the suggested dose.

Bolus Total Carb 1.00U BG 0.43U IOB 1.70U Total = 0.00U 0.00U Go Type Normal Main Menu

In this example, the amount of carbohydrates to be eaten was 15 grams, and the blood glucose value was 4.4 mmol/L with a target value of 6.0 mmol/L. The pump suggests no dose because there is already insulin on board.

Bolus Total Carb BG + IOB Total =

1.35U 0.00U 1.57U 1.35U

1.35U Go Type Normal Main Menu

In this example, the pump has suggested the full amount of insulin for the amount of carbs to be eaten because the existing insulin on board is for previously eaten food, or a previously delivered correction bolus.

The pump will always suggest delivery of insulin to cover new food being eaten when the blood sugar value is ABOVE or WITHIN target range.

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN USING THE IOB FEATURE • How well the Insulin on Board (IOB) feature will work for each individual is based upon the Duration of Insulin Action (DIA) being set correctly.1 The duration in the Animas® 2020 or OneTouch® Ping® insulin pump can be set for a range between 1.5 hours to 6.5 hours, but it is commonly set between 4 and 5 hours.

Always speak with your healthcare professional team before making any changes to your Duration of Insulin Action (DIA).

• Use judgment! The pump is great at delivering insulin and doing math to help you calculate your bolus doses, BUT you still need to think for yourself. Remember that you know more than the pump does, and sometimes the amount of IOB may require you to consider over-riding the bolus suggestion.

• If you change your battery, any IOB remaining will be cleared. The pump cannot detect how long a battery is out, so it cannot accurately track how much insulin is still on board. Try to change your battery before you bolus when you don’t have any IOB. 1 John Walsh, P.A. and Ruth Roberts, M.A., Pumping Insulin, Fifth edition, Torrey Pines Press, 2012.

Our inspiration is you.

Adam Cogswell Fredericton, NB Age 16 Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 12

Visit us online at www.Animas.ca or call Customer Care at 1-866-600-2233 today!

At Animas , we make insulin pumps that perform for you, so you can perform at your best. 速

Animas is a registered trademark of Animas Corporation. OneTouch速 Ping速 is a registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson.

Used under licence. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. 息2013 LifeScan Canada Ltd. Burnaby, BC V5S 6S7 AW101-456A 06/2013