Diabetes awareness raised

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This summer, two Aboriginal students from Ontario biked across Canada to raise awareness of an epidemic.

Diabetes is ravaging Aboriginal communities across the country, and Jake Chakasim and Kim Trimble wanted to do something about it.

They called their venture the National Aboriginal Diabetes Awareness Ride - a 7,700 kilometre bike trek from St. John's, Nfld. to Victoria, B.C.

Chakasim conceived the idea of the ride last fall after seeing diabetes rates dramatically increase in his home community of Moosonee.

"(Diabetes) really affects a lot of people around me," he said during a stop in Sudbury. "I couldn't just sit around and watch it take its toll on my family and community."

The 29-year-old Cree, who studies architecture at Ryerson University in Toronto, had always wanted to bike across the country. Last October his grandmother suggested he do it to raise funds and awareness for diabetes in the Aboriginal community.

This disease was relatively unknown to Canada's First Nations 50 years ago. According to Health Canada, the prevalence of the disease among Aboriginals is more than three times the national average - about seven per cent have diabetes.

The two left St. John's on May 30 and finished in Victoria Sept.1.

For Trimble, it's been an enlightening experience.

"We've really learned a lot about the disease and its consequences. It's made me take a serious look at trying to prevent an easily preventable disease."

Trimble, an electrical engineering student at Lakehead University, said diabetes prevention should be a priority in all First Nation communities.

"It really bothers me that it costs less to eat junk instead of healthy food," said the 34-year-old Ojibway. "It's scary how fast (the disease) is spreading, especially in Northern communities."

Adult onset diabetes is caused primarily by an unhealthy diet and a decrease in physical activity. Its many complications include heart disease and stroke, blindness and kidney failure.

Another of the ride's objectives is to raise funds to bring kidney dialysis machines to northern Aboriginal communities.

"A lot of people from my community have to go as far south as Kingston for dialysis treatment," said Chakasim. "They're not able to hunt and fish, make crafts -they're taken away from their culture.

"Because of that, some of them seem like they've lost the will to live. The purpose of this ride is to make sure Native people with diabetes can get the proper treatments in their First Nations."

Nearly at the halfway point of their journey, they were covering an average of 100 kilometres daily.

They both took a few tumbles.

Trimble and Chakasim experienced tremendous support throughout their ride.

"The people in the east were very hospitable," said Chakasim. "They'd take us in, arrange donations for us, and take us to various cultural events."

After a scenic trip through Quebec, they arrived in Ottawa on schedule, and were able to drum up lots of support from Aboriginal organizations there.