Sask. father embarks on marathon-run to fund a cure for diabetes
One Humboldt man had set a goal to complete a four-mile run, every four hours for 48 hours over the Saskatchewan Day long weekend.
Jason Holtvogt is raising awareness for Type One diabetes and the challenges families face when caring for a family member. His daughter Aubree, the youngest of four, faces these challenges daily.
“You're waking up every few hours to check on your daughter in this case, on her sugar levels, so you're waking up every few hours to check on the sugar levels just to make sure that she's not too high or too low,” Holtvogt said. “I thought (the run) really resembled what a parent of a diabetic goes through, and also a diabetic caregiver.”
On July 30 Holtvogt began the 4x4x48 challenge, a routine made popular by American marathon-runner David Goggins.
Holtvogt, 44, said he’s been training for months leading up to this challenge he’s called T1D (Type One diabetes) 4x4x48. With the help of local dieticians, trainers and chiropractors Holtvogt knew this wasn’t going to be easy.
He’s raising money for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation Canada (DRIFCan), a research group out of the University of Alberta.
“Dr. James Shapiro and his team at the Alberta Diabetes Institute (ADI) are actively researching, collaborating and conducting ongoing clinical trials to accelerate the pace of diabetes research to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes,” Holtvogt said. “The goal of the run is to raise funds for a cure for T1D.”
During his run Holtvogt has crossed $12,000 but he hopes to get to $100,000 before the 48 hours is up.
“(Dr. Shapiro) needs $22 million to get this going and we really wanted to focus all our efforts on getting him his money so that he can do this stem cell research,” Holtvogt said. “With any possibility of our daughter not having to deal with diabetes at an older age.”
You can follow Holtvogt’s story on Facebook and donate to his cause.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More Canadians are moving to the U.S. Here's one of the main reasons, according to an immigration expert
Recent data from the U.S. census revealed that more than 126,000 people moved from Canada to the U.S. in 2022. An expert said that one of the main reasons for this move is the cost of living.
Bus carrying Quebec tourists crashes in Cuba, leaving 1 dead and 26 injured
One person is dead and 26 were injured after a bus carrying Quebec tourists was involved in a collision in Cuba on Sunday.
Her gut was producing alcohol. Doctors didn't believe her
For two years doctors told her she was an alcoholic. Then they realized her gut was making alcohol from carbohydrates, a rare condition called auto-brewery syndrome.
'They need this protection': Trudeau gov't re-offers $1.5M for enhanced Pride security in Canada
For the second year, the federal government is offering up to $1.5M to Pride organizations across the country to fund enhanced security measures, amid a continued rise in anti-LGBTQ2S+ hate.
Here's how far B.C. drivers must keep from cyclists, pedestrians under new law
A new law protecting cyclists and pedestrians in British Columbia takes effect Monday, establishing minimum distances that drivers must keep from so-called vulnerable road users.
Prospective jurors in Hunter Biden's firearms case questioned on gun rights, addiction, politics
A federal gun case against U.S. President Joe Biden’s son Hunter opened Monday with jury selection, following the collapse of a plea deal that would have avoided the spectacle of a trial so close the 2024 election.
AFN national chief blasts governments' inaction on fifth anniversary of MMIWG report
On the fifth anniversary of a national inquiry's report into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is blasting all levels of government for what she calls slow progress to stop the crisis.
B.C. school district apologizes for asking students 'Should Israel exist?'
The Burnaby School District superintendent has issued an apology and launched an investigation after a Grade 6/7 class was presented with a question regarding the existence of Israel.
Toyota apologizes for cheating on vehicle testing and halts production of three models
Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda apologized Monday for massive cheating on certification tests for seven vehicle models as the automaker suspended production of three of them.