Hockey legend Doug Gilmour rallies to the cause of diabetes awareness
Hockey legend Doug Gilmour rallies to the cause of diabetes awareness
Doug Gilmour's accomplishments on the ice over a 20-year professional career earned him recognition as one of Canada's "hockey greats." He played for seven NHL teams, won the Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989 and was inducted into the Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.
These days, Mr. Gilmour is still immersed in the hockey world as general manager of the Ontario Hockey League team the Kingston Frontenacs. But this accomplished athlete is pursuing yet another accomplishment – one that has considerable personal meaning for him. He is helping to educate Canadians about the risks and impacts of diabetes – with the goal of inspiring them to protect themselves and their loved ones from developing the disease.
Hockey legend Doug Gilmour rallies to the cause of diabetes awareness
"My dad passed away due to complications from diabetes over a year ago, and my mom and oldest brother also have type 2 diabetes," says Mr. Gilmour. "Like so many Canadians, my life has been touched by this disease and I have seen its damaging effects. That's why I want to raise awareness and help people understand how diabetes can be prevented."
Mr. Gilmour's father faced some difficult health challenges stemming from his diabetes. "Dad got an infected foot and had to have one of his toes amputated," he says. "It was fortunate that he didn't end up losing his foot or part of his leg; that's how serious it had become."
His father also had significant vision loss and could no longer drive, and now his mother is also having problems with her vision. Knowing that diabetes is common in his family, Mr. Gilmour is thinking about his children too, worrying about the risks they might face. All of this has led him to lend his voice to the cause of diabetes awareness, including through a partnership with Sun Life Financial.
The company is sponsoring "Dougieball 2 – Doug Gilmour Celebrity Bowl" to be held in Toronto on November 12, 2013. Eighteen teams will take part in a bowling tournament, with each having a celebrity player drawn from a group that includes hockey stars, Olympic athletes and musicians. The party will include a silent auction and a performance by the Toronto-based, Juno-nominated funk band God Made Me Funky. The funds raised will support diabetes initiatives and the Sun Life Financial Banting and Best Diabetes Clinic at the University Health Network in Toronto. The plan is to have future Dougieball events support diabetes as well.
Mr. Gilmour says he wants to encourage Canadians to get tested to determine if they have undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes – higher-than-normal blood glucose levels that place people at much higher risk of developing diabetes.
"An estimated nine million Canadians have diabetes or prediabetes. That's a huge number and it's increasing every year," he says. "Diabetes has come to my backyard and affected my family. My message is 'Don't take your health for granted.' So many people who should be screened for diabetes and related risk factors are not doing so, and I really want to emphasize how important it is to get checked."