DAC Fellow
University of Calgary
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I found out I had type two diabetes when I was 32 years old. Over the next few years my mental health continued to worsen, and in May 2018 I became homeless. Feeling more scared and powerless than ever, it was not long before I became convinced that cannabis was not helping my situation. With that in mind, I resolved to get clean.
In January 2019, soon after I completed rehab, I joined a community based participatory research group called the Toronto Clients with Diabetes Action Committee (Toronto CDAC). The eight group members, who had all experienced homelessness while also living with diabetes, quickly made me feel welcomed and accepted. The meetings soon became the highlight of my week, something I would eagerly look forward to.
Our group undertook a photovoice project that illustrated the challenges and struggles we each faced with respect to diabetes and homelessness. Our objective was to help others learn about our challenges, provoke conversation, and inspire policy changes. Throughout this project I learned a variety of research skills such as how to obtain informed consent, recognize implicit bias, and how to determine which research topic is of highest priority for group members.
Since my time with the Toronto CDAC, I have been fortunate to work as a co-researcher and/or patient partner on a variety of other research studies and grant applications. Since 2021, I have worked with Diabetes Action Canada as a patient partner.
Friday, November 22, 2024
10:00 - 11:15 AT Time
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