Tanya Denis is 52 years old and has something in common with her two-year-old grandson Carter Albany.
They both have Type 1 diabetes.
Denis and her grandson live in Kanesatake, Que. and are among the growing number of Canadians who have diabetes and the disproportionate number of Indigenous people diagnosed with the condition.
'I HAVE NO LIFE'
For Denis, the disease has already done so much damage that she feels hope slipping away.
She is now visually impaired, has nerve damage in her limbs, and lost hearing on her left side.
She also has kidney disease and needs a live kidney transplant.
Without a new kidney, Denis' dialysis treatment trips will remain constant.
"I have no break. I have to go. If I don't, I'll get sick, or I'll pass away. My life is that machine. I'm trying my best, but mentally, I can't do it anymore," she said. "There's no life with dialysis. I can't travel. The repercussions of the treatment are painful. I'm sick all the time."
She goes three times a week for four-hour dialysis treatment, which leaves her exhausted and ill from the side effects.
"I'm weak, I'm very tired, low energy, I'm sick to my stomach, (and) sometimes I get tremors," she said. "At this time, I don't want to live anymore knowing that my life is on that (dialysis) machine. I sit beside this machine. That's my partner. I have no choice."
DIABETES SINCE BIRTH
Denis was diagnosed at four years old; Carter was diagnosed a year ago at age two.
Type 1 typically first presents during childhood or adolescence.
Denis was told that diabetes skips a generation and that one of her grandchildren would likely have the same condition.
"I was hoping that they were going to be wrong," she said. "I had mentioned it to my son to not be too surprised that one of your kids would have Type 1. We were pretty much mentally prepared for it, but who is?"
The fact that Denis had a child at all was surprising, as doctors said her condition would make it difficult.
She said she's always lived a healthy lifestyle and watched her diet and exercise, but the disease has now taken over her life.
"It doesn't matter if you take care of yourself," she said. "I tried to take care of myself. I was an athlete all my life, but the complications of Type 1, it just catches up to you."
DIABETES DIAGNOSES RISING
Indigenous people are among the highest-risk populations for diabetes and related complications, said Mary Colleen Witherspoon, spokesperson for Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs.
"For instance, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is approximately three to four times higher in First Nations in comparison to the general Canadian population, and all Indigenous Peoples are at increased risk of developing diabetes," she said.
Diabetes rates are not slowing down, added Ann Besner, Senior Manager, PAD Knowledge & Connection of Diabetes Canada.
"Currently, 11.7 million Canadians, or about one in three people, are living with diabetes or prediabetes," she said. "Diabetes prevalence in Canada has increased by more than 50 per cent in the last decade."
In Quebec, Witherspoon added, $17.2 million has been allocated to the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative to fight the disease. She said the government continues to work with communities to promote physical and mental health and healthy lifestyles.
TYPES OF DIABETES
There are four types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, Gestational and prediabetes.
With Type 1, the pancreas does not produce its own insulin, and people with the condition must take daily injections to survive.
"There are genetic and environmental factors thought to contribute to the development of this autoimmune condition, but very few effective, widespread prevention mechanisms in place at present," said Besner.
About 90 to 95 per cent of those who have diabetes have Type 2. While it typically develops in adults, it can be diagnosed at any age, according to Diabetes Canada.
"There is a perception that Type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle-related disease that is completely preventable because diets that promote obesity and sedentary lifestyles are among the many risk factors," said Besner. "However, it is complex. The causes of Type 2 diabetes can be thought of in three categories: genetic, behavioural and environmental."
In addition to those of African, Arab, Asian, Hispanic or South Asian descent, Indigenous people are at a higher risk of developing Type 2, Besner said.
Witherspoon said that Canada's historical colonial practices play a role in diabetes being three to four times more common in Indigenous communities.
"(Practices) that include forced mass relocation, loss of land, the creation of the reserve system, and the establishment of the residential school system," she said. "Unresolved intergenerational trauma adds to the health challenges faced by Indigenous peoples."
