Residents will gather at city hall tomorrow night to embark on a walk through Galt to raise awareness for diabetes.
When they do, the Cambridge sign will be lit blue for the cause thanks to a request from Kristen Lauzon.
Lauzon's son, Nathan, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 10 in 2019 and since then she's made it her goal to shed light on the disease.
The walk will begin at 6 p.m. and go from 50 Dickson Street to the pedestrian bridge and back.
"I want to make people aware and come together," Lauzon said.
"I've got glow sticks, glasses that light blue, bracelets and necklaces so if people see us and approach us, we can explain what we're doing."
Lauzon's main motivation is to make sure other families know they aren't alone in fighting the disease and quell any misconceptions around it.
One of the main misunderstandings around diabetes is the difference between Type 1 and Type 2.
Type 1 is an autoimmune disease where the body doesn't produce insulin and there's no preventative measures or cure. Risk factors include genetics and environmental factors.
Type 2 is a metabolic condition where the body doesn't create enough insulin or is resistant to it. While it can also be genetic, lifestyle choices such as exercise and eating habits play a role.
"Diabetes is a real challenge," Lauzon said of dealing with her son with Type 1.
"It's a really hard disease to manage. It's a full-time job, no breaks, 365 days a year."
What's known about the disease has changed, prompting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, an advocacy organization, to change its name to Breakthrough T1D.
It was initially believed it could only develop during childhood but advances in research show that it can come on at any age.
The Lauzon's first noticed something was wrong when Nathan began to experience uncharacteristic bouts of thirst and urination.
Those symptoms were soon accompanied by significant nausea and weight loss, resulting in the family making a trip to the hospital. After an examination, a blood sugar test was done and the results were shocking.
Nathan had a blood sugar level of 33.5 millimoles per litre. An average person is typically between 3.9 mmol/L and 5.6 mmol/L.
He was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic and experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition where the body breaks down fat at a rate far greater than can be handled. When this occurs, the liver processes fat into fuel through ketones, turning the blood acidic.
Despite the significant time and effort it takes to manage, Lauzon wants the community to understand that people with Type 1 can do everything anyone else can.
"They can fly planes, play sports. You name it, they can do it," she said.
"They can eat anything, they just need to take insulin for it. We deal with it the best we can, that's all we can do."
The walk is open for anyone to attend and people are encouraged to wear blue.
