CALEB NICKERSON
OTTER LAKE
June 2, 2018
An Otter Lake teen and her family took a tried and true method to raise money – a lemonade stand – to the next level on Saturday afternoon, to raise money for juvenile diabetes research.
Situated outside Rumours Resto-Café (who donated food and supplies), Vanessa Vadneau and her family members offered pizza, popcorn and baked treats in addition to cold lemonade, enticing more than a few drivers to stop for refreshments.
Vadneau was diagnosed with diabetes at age four and has been fundraising for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) along with her mother for the past ten years.

Type 1 diabetes (T1), is a disease where the body’s immune system attacks the cells in the liver that make insulin, which regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and protein. Unlike Type 2, which is linked to a lack of exercise and being overweight, T1 has no known cause or cure.
Roughly 86,000 children worldwide develop T1 each year, though 25 per cent of people with T1 are diagnosed as adults.
Diabetics must test their blood sugar levels regularly by pricking themselves with a needle, something Vadneau said she does around four times a day.
She added that her disease can be difficult to manage at times, especially when she’s playing sports or travelling.
While regular testing and insulin injections can keep the levels in check, they cannot cure the diabetes or prevent complications down the road.
Her mother Marsha explained that they will be participating in the JDRF walk in Ottawa on June 10 for the ninth year in a row.
Donation can be made online through the JDRF’s website by searching for Vanessa Vadneau. (https://jdrf.akaraisin.com/pledge/Team/Home.aspx?seid=15533&mid=10&tid=179141&sgid=15665)