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HealthWellnessDiabetes18TuesdaySeptember102013FortSmithHealthCentreMainEntranceisChangingEffectiveSeptember16theNEWMAINENTRANCEwillbelocatedonthesouthsideofthebuildingandReceptionServiceswillbeavailableatthisNEWMainEntrance.ANEWPUBLICPARKINGLOTwillbelocatedonthesouthsideoftheHealthCentre.ThecurrentMainEntrancethroughtunnelwillbeclosedSeptember16forrenovations.TheNEWMainEntranceisatemporaryentranceuntilrenovationsarecompleted.ThankyouforyourpatienceduringourongoingrenovationstoimprovetheFortSmithHealthCentreforourCommunityNEWMAINENTRANCENWTwomanreachesnewheightsfordiabetesByMARIACHURCHItsbeenlessthantwoweekssinceLeahMacDonaldhikedupIcelandicmountainstoraisemoneyfordiabetesresearchbutsheknowstheexperiencehaschangedherforever.ThiseventchangedmylifepermanentlyMacDonaldanurseandmotherofthreetoldTheJournalabouttheexperience.Sometimesyoufeelstag-nantinlifeandnowIdontthinkIlleverfeelthatagainbecauseIknowIcandosomethinglikethis.Itsopenedmeuptobere-ceptivetonewthingsshesaid.MacDonaldwastheonlyNWTparticipantof63Canadi-answhotookpartintheTeamDiabetesinternationalhikeandmarathonafundraiserputonannuallybytheCanadianDi-abetesAssociation.ThisyearthehikewastitledConquertheCraterandtookplaceinIcelandsurroundedbyglaciersandac-tivevolcanos.Eachparticipantofthehikewasaskedtoraise6100withallproceedsgoingtoeducationandservicesforthoseaffectedbydiabetes.MacDonaldper-sonallyraised800morethantherequiredamountmostlythankstocommunitysupportfromFortSmithandacrosstheNWTshesaid.Asawholeparticipantsbroughtinnearly500000.Reectingonherexperi-enceofthehikeMacDonaldsaiditwasbothchallengingandexhilarating.Thefeelingwasjustyoucantevendescribeitwediditandwewereelatedbyitshesaid.WhileMacDonaldhaddonesometrainingbefore-handkeepingfocusedwiththehelpofhertrainingpart-nerandhusbandDuanesheadmittedsheisnotanathleteandhasbeenbattlingwithakneeinjuryforthepastyear.Butthehikewasntaraceshesaid.Optingfortheshorter14kmrouteMacDonaldsettledintoagroupwiththreeothermembersofTeamDiabeteswhokeptasimilarpace.Thersthalfhourwasgru-elingbutwithencouragementfromthegroupsIcelandicguidetheteampushedonandtookeachobstacleinstrideshesaid.Oneofthemostdif-cultmomentswaswhentheteamcrossedanescarpmentdubbedCatsBackanarrowpathwalkedsinglelewithasteepdropofftoeachside.ThoughMacDonaldsaidshenormallysuffersfromafearofheightsthethrilloftheexperienceanddesiretohelpandencourageherteamacrossanyobstaclewasenoughtoconquerherfears.Intheendshecrossedthencamebacktohelpanothermemberwhowasstruggling.IdohaveafearofheightssheadmittedbutIdontknowwhatitwasupthere.Beingincontrolwascompletelydiffer-ent.Itsprettyamazing.Onceatthetopplateautheviewstookherbreathaway.Thereisnothingelselikeit.Itwasreallyamazingshesaid.NowhomesafeandsoundMacDonaldsaidshehopestheexperiencesetanex-ampleforbothherchildrenandthecommunityatlarge.ImhappyImdoingthisformyselfbutatthesametimeIthinkImbeinganex-cellentrolemodelformykids.Itsshowingmykidsthattherearemultiplepossibili-tiesoutthereforanything.Asforthecommunityshesaidshewouldliketothinkpeoplewillbeinspiredbyherstoryperhapstakingonsimilarchallengesforagoodcause.MacDonaldisalreadyplanningfornextyearshikelocatedinKauaiHawaiiwhereshehopesothersfromtheNWTwilljoinher.WhenIwasgoingthistimeIhadpeoplewhowantedtojoinbuttheycouldntgetthetimeoff.IwouldliketohavemorethanjustmyselfgoIwouldlovetohaveabigrepresentationfromtheNWTforsureshesaid.FormoreinformationonTeamDiabetesandnextyearshikevisithttpwww.diabetes.caget-involvedsupporting-usteam-diabetes.PhotoCarrieKotylakConquertheCraterhikerstakeabreakintheIcelandicmountainsattheendofAugust.LefttorightDouglasFarmerCarolWagnerLeahMacDonaldandCarrieKotylak.