SudburyROCKS!!! celebrates 10 years, 500K in donations

About 2,000 peoplewill take to the streets for the 10th annual SudburyROCKS!!!running race this weekend.

Over the past decade the event, which includes everything from a onekilometre fun runto a marathon,hasraised about $500,000for diabetes prevention and research.

Some of thatmoney goesto the national associationto support research, said Chris Montgomery,the mission funding coordinator in Northeast Ontario for theCanadian Diabetes Association.

"Obviously the main end goal is a cure because diabetes is one of the biggest diseases around that doesn't have a cure, it is just manageable," he said.

A portion of the money raised through SudburyROCKS!!!also stays in northern Ontario and fundsprevention programs, Montgomery said, adding the concept of the race itself works towards the goal of reducing risk factors for people.

"You could say 'yes, this is about raising money towards a cure for diabetes,' but at the same time it's about creating healthy lifestyle."

One in four people in Canada are affected by diabetes, and rates are higher than thataverage in northern Ontario,Montgomery said.

Living with Type 1 diabetes

For LineFerris of Sudbury,running the race each year since it started 10 years ago has helped tomaintain a healthy lifestyle andmanage her diabetes.

Ferris wasdiagnosed 32 years ago at the age of 12.

Ferrishas benefited from some improvements in treatment over the years including an insulin pump that replaces daily injections.

She said she is not sure if there will be a cure for diabetes in her lifetime,but she is pleased by the awareness the race has brought to the disease.

"I am hopeful that for the future generation that will be something that we might see to fruition," she said.

Care and treatment

There has been more of a focus on helping people to manage diabetes in recent years.

The hospital in Sudburyhas a longstanding education program,but a few years agotheComplex Centre for Diabetes Care was created, said Teresa Taillefer,Coordinator of theDiabetes Care Service at Health Sciences North.

It helps about 600 people living with the complications of the disease which can besevere and include amputations.

"We've had comments from patients from the point of 'you saved my life' to 'thank God you kept my toes on my body," Taillefer said.

There will be some lane closures in Sudbury for SudburyROCKS!!! on Sunday,mostly affecting the downtown core and Notre Dame Avenue.