Élise hasn't been idle, these days. For several weeks now, alongside her parents, her lifelong allies in her illness, the 29-year-old has been combining her professional activity as a social worker with intensive training with a half-marathon run coming next April. The three of them will use the race to raise funds for the IRCM Foundation, and more specifically, the BETTER Project.
The BETTER Project is a Canadian research initiative led by researchers, people living with - or having a child living with - type 1 diabetes (including LADA), healthcare professionals and policy-makers. Its mission is to improve the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes in Canada through research, training and resources, and by raising public awareness of the daily challenges of living with this condition.
Such a long-distance sport initiative is already a feat for someone with no particular physical challenge, in Élise's case, the undertaking is complex. As a type 1 diabetic, Élise is well aware that physical activity, especially when it is intense, may have an unpredictable impact on her blood sugar levels. This forces her to monitor her diet and insulin adjustments even more closely than usual, and to trial and error depending on the time and duration of training, among other things.
This is just one of the many elements that a person living with diabetes has to take into account on a daily basis, and it's an additional mental burden that those without diabetes aren't necessarily aware of.
It is to raise awareness of the challenges of living with diabetes, but also and above all, to give back to the IRCM, that Élise has set herself and her parents this challenge. On the cusp of adulthood, Élise was able to make her transition from pediatric to general care and received care at the IRCM Clinic. As a participate in research projects on type 1 diabetes at the IRCM since 2013, she has been followed by Dr. Rabasa-Lhoret, a leading expert in the field.
“I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 9. It will be 20 years in April 2025. I always tend to say that I'm lucky for the support I've had. It's one of the elements that has enabled me to be resilient. I'm also lucky to have a fairly common disease for which there is research. The IRCM team is competent, proactive and on the lookout for technological advances. Since my diagnosis, the management of my disease has evolved a lot and for the better, thanks to research and the development of new technologies. I'm hoping for further advances, and through this race I hope to help raise funds for further discoveries. That's why we've chosen to raise funds for the IRCM research team.”
Despite all this, diabetes remains a daily challenge for her as for all those living with this complex condition. That's why Élise wants others to benefit from the research and care provided at the IRCM.
“Encourage us to continue our training, but above all support research to continue improving the living conditions of people living with diabetes. It's all part of building resilience!”
