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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, October 17, 2013 | 6 Starlight Soirée provides more than a glimmer of hope continued from p.1 Since they started fundraising in 2006, the Williams family has collected approximately $50,000 in donations to the JDRF , while Linda and Scott have co-chaired the walk ve years, collectively. The pair will also be co-chairs, for a second time, of the foundation's Starlight Soirée gala at Oakville's Appleby College, 540 Lakeshore Rd. W., coming up on Nov. 7. In addition, Josh has been active as a youth ambassador for the JDRF since he was seven years old, speaking to classmates, groups of 300500 people and at last year's fundraising gala as well -- sharing his story and how he doesn't let his T1D stop him from living his life. "If I had one piece of advice to give someone with diabetes it's `don't stop living your life -- it's not worth it. When things go wrong, and they will, deal with it calmly and smoothly ,'" said Josh. Linda admits she and her husband had no idea what it meant to have T1D before their son's diagnosis on April 10, 2006 and what managing the disease would entail. T1D essentially affects the pancreas and stops it from producing insulin, a hormone crucial in getting the energy out of food to be used throughout the body. "We had suspected something was wrong because he (Josh) was falling asleep after school, which was not like him; he was losing weight and drinking a lot of water," Linda said. They took Josh to a doctor and, after some tests, were told it was 100 per cent diabetes. While there is no history of diabetes in Linda or Scott's extended families, now that Josh has been diagnosed with it, his older brother Zach, 18, and younger sister Zoe, 8, both have a 30 per cent increased risk of developing the disease -- and they "won't be out of the woods" until they reach age 40, says Linda. To keep his T1D in check, Josh wears an insulin pump that goes straight into his abdomen 24 hours a day, makes sure to count the carbohydrates in everything he eats and for a few days every week wears a glucose monitor, which checks his blood sugar levels every ve minutes. "You just get used it," Josh says, matter-offactly. He has more than just gotten used it -- it's clear the Grade 8 student at Fern Hill School has taken his own advice of not letting his T1D stop him from living. In addition to attending a sleep-away camp every summer, Josh is a competitive rock climber and has been for the last three years. "He's always been a climber," Linda said. "We'd take him to the playground (when he was younger) and he'd go straight to the bars, trying to climb his way through to the top. He's always been a bit of a daredevil." Training with Burlington's Climber's Rock Indoor Climbing Gym, Josh competed at an Ontario Climbing Federation (OCF) competition in May 2012 and nished eighth out of approximately 15 competitors -- one spot out of the semi- nals. He is currently training for his next competition with OCF on Oct. 26 in Ottawa. "It's challenging," Josh said of what he likes most about rock climbing. "A lot of it is you have to push yourself and start thinking without limits." Scott says he's noticed the activity has helped his son develop and strengthen his strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, which come in handy when he's managing his T1D. Both Scott and Linda say the most important message for a parent whose child has been diagnosed with diabetes is, "you can't let your own fear stop your kids from living." "We both decided that when Josh was diagnosed that we wouldn't treat him like he's broken. So, there has always been a uni ed `yes' when he's come to us wanting to try something new... within reason," said Linda. All the proceeds raised from this year's Starlight Soirée gala will go towards the JDRF and its Canadian Clinical Trial Network, which focuses on testing and research to advance the technologies in managing and caring for T1D and eventually curing the disease. "Even since Josh has been diagnosed, the technology used in managing (T1D) has improved signi cantly and that's through the JDRF and its partnerships," Linda said. "If this technology can keep him healthy enough so that when there is a cure, Josh can take it -- that is our goal." The JDRF's fundraising activities, which includes runs, bike rides and galas, raise approximately $25 million a year. Canada is also a part of JDRF International, which spends about $140 million a year on T1D research in 40 countries. This year's theme to the gala is "Gatsby Magic" and will include cocktails, local restaurant tasting stations, an auction and music from the `Jazz Age' and `Roaring Twenties'. Tickets cost $100 each, with a $45 tax receipt per ticket, and can be purchased online at www. starlightsoiree.com, or by contacting Laura Ciccarelli at 905-608-8067, ext. 233 or lciccarelli@ jdrf.ca. NEIL OLIVER Vice ­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Halton Region Editor in Chief Spotlight "Connected to your Community" Above, Josh Williams, a competitive rock climber on the Select team for Climber's Rock, has Type 1 diabetes (T1D). He and his parents, Linda Sukk and Scott Williams, are all involved with the Nov. 7 JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) Starlight Soirée Gala. The event raises funds and awareness to nd a cure for juvenile diabetes. Living with T1D and working towards a cure is a family affair for Williams, his parents and siblings, sister Zoe, 8, (seen below) and brother Zach, 18, (not in photo). | photos by Nikki Wesley ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) Volume 51 | Number 124 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. 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