Sébastien Sasseville has a message to share – about the gifts that diabetes has brought to him. Six years ago at age 22 Sébastien learned he had type 1 diabetes. Although shocking, it was not entirely unexpected; six years prior his brother Marc-Andre was diagnosed with the same disease. Both brothers experienced the same symptoms including fatigue, weight loss, frequent urination, excessive thirst and increased appetite. The whole family had been emotionally affected at the time of Marc-Andre’s diagnosis, and it certainly was not any easier this time around. “Nobody knows how type 1 is caused. We asked, ‘Why us?’ There’s no family history. It came out of nowhere, which is typical – it just strikes,” Sébastien recalls. On the rise Diabetes affects greater than two million Canadians, but only 10% have type 1. Previously referred to as childhood-onset or juvenile diabetes because diagnosis usually occurs from infancy to age 30, this auto-immune disease causes permanent destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. It’s lethal without an insulin injection to replace this missing hormone. Unlike type 2 diabetes, diet and exercise can’t reverse or prevent type 1. According to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the incidence of type 1 has increased by 37% over the last 10 years. In the same period, the more common type 2 has risen by almost 50%. Although the exact cause is unknown, a combination of genetics and factors including obesity, high fat diet and a sedentary lifestyle play a role. Type 2 diabetes has typically affected people over age 40; incidence has increased dramatically with younger people including children. If not properly managed, diabetes complications include blindness, amputation, kidney failure and heart disease. As symptoms of type 2 diabetes like loss of appetite and fatigue confuse easily with other less serious ailments, thousands of Canadians may have diabetes and not know. Taking diabetes to the peaks Although this ‘silent killer’ can hit swiftly and ruthlessly, there’s no reason to stop living. In fact, Sébastien makes a point of doing exactly the opposite. After receiving his degree in public relations, Sébastien became a pharmaceutical representative for diabetic products, but soon came to discover his passion is to help others with this disease.

Today, Sébastien spends his days travelling, speaking at conferences and with patients, sharing his inspiring stories, like being the first Canadian with diabetes to climb Mount Everest on May 25, 2008. “Climbing wasn’t a part of my life before diabetes. It was a coincidence. I’ve always been active; I love camping and the outdoors. It was right after my diagnosis that I started climbing. It’s like hiking; you start going further, deeper in the woods – and with climbing, you climb a little, then you  want to go higher and higher. As the mountains get more difficult, you need more training. It’s very addictive.” So far his addiction has taken him and a group of young people with diabetes to Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro and Lenin Peak, in the Trans-Alai Range of Central Asia. In September 2007, he also attempted Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world, but bad weather thwarted the expedition. Neither that nor his diabetes discouraged Sébastien from forging ahead to conquer the mighty Everest. He proved that monitoring diabetes under such dramatic and life-threatening conditions can be done. He was undaunted by extreme cold temperatures that froze his insulin and prevented him from testing his blood sugar levels. Instead, careful planning, ensuring sufficient insulin was always available and being very aware of his body made success possible. Sharing these challenges with others is important. “Diabetes is my full-time career. I don’t know that I would have done all these things; it has opened a lot of doors. My message is one of hope for families of the recently diagnosed,” he elaborates. “It’s very stressful; parents may have tremendous worry and guilt. My goal is to help them understand that although this is a serious disease and life does change, your kids will still be able to do whatever they want. Then, when I meet people who have given up hope and tell them my story, I see their minds change: to give life another shot, to start living, and doing things again.” When first diagnosed, Sébastien knew his life would change but he decided to embrace it regardless. “Diabetes has changed my life for the better. It’s made me healthier. I don’t think I would have climbed Everest otherwise. This is Sébastien’s message: “When you take good care of yourself, you’re free to do things you love. Too often, people with diabetes simply stop living. They stop doing things they like, whether it’s big like Everest or small like running. They feel diabetes is a disadvantage, but that’s not the case. It’s not a limitation; with diabetes you can still do everything you want.” Sébastien believes acceptance is crucial. His own acceptance of the positive impact it’s had on his life is the reason he’s become an advocate of this way of living.

The key “Controlling diabetes is better than 20 years ago, but not by much. New technology makes it easier to manage, but what makes the difference is a patient’s acceptance. Not much can be accomplished until acceptance is reached. Even with the technology, a non-accepting patient isn't likely to do well. Acceptance takes time. I didn’t accept mine by just waking up one morning. It takes work, a conscious decision to work on it. It’s all about having the right attitude.” Sébastien has the right attitude. He’s faced this disease and embraces life. It’s shaped his career and made him strive for more. His passion to not let it slow him down transcends all that he does. His personal aspiration: to continue to help others; to climb, but most of all leverage his experiences to help kids. “Seeing the impact of my work is incredibly rewarding. I am the luckiest person on earth doing this for a living,” he says. Sébastien may think he’s the lucky one, but hearing him speak, absorbing his passion, makes others feel lucky – by being inspired to reach high and touch the sky.

Sébastien, along with a new team of youth diagnosed with diabetes, will be trekking Macchu Picchu in July 2009. To find out more, contact Anthony Petrovich at 604-376-1123. If you are interested in having Sébastien Sasseville speak at your next event, visit www.sebinspires.com  H&L