Chris Jarvis is a winner of a 2004 DESA Athletic Achievement Award sponsored by Lifescan. Chris is an olympic athlete from Victoria, Canada. He is truly is an inspiring example of an iron will and uncompromising determination to overcome the potential limiations imposed by diabetes.

With three years credit toward his degree in chemical engineering, Chris has taken a year away from his studies at Northeastern University to "go for the gold" in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. As a member of the Canadian Olympic Rowing team he is committed to a grueling 6-hour day training regimen in preparation for the games.

Chris's story is best told by him in this remarkable letter he wrote to DESA.

"I did not know what to feel when I was diagnosed with diabetes in my grade nine year of high school at age 13. My younger sister already had diabetes, so I decided that I needed to be strong for the both of us and show that diabetes does not need to hold you back, even in competitive sport. I was blessed with coaches, in my high school years, who never made any issue about my diabetes. I have always put my heart into every exercise I have done, so when I needed to take time for a blood sugar reaction my coaches trusted that I would be back on my feet as soon as possible. In high school, I played almost very sport, however, in football I was named team captain and earned the title of "Iron Man" for playing entire games without missing a play. I also competed on the rowing team, where I earned two years MVP and finished my season off as double gold-medalist at the Canadian High Scholl Championships. Over my years in rowing, I have won gold medals in several events at both he Canadian Henly and US Nationals.

My performane in rowing earned me an athletic scholarship to Northeastern University in Boston, where the coaching was tougher and more aggressive than anything I had experienced in high school. Over the next four years I encountered difficult times while balancing studying for a degree in chemical engineering with training up to seven hours a day. To be honest, I felt alone and scared, not having anyone who understood what I was dealing with, or anyone who seemed to care. It was a very competitive field and there were no breaks. At one point, after missing part of a workout in preseason due to a reaction, my coach told me that he would never put me in the varsity boat because of my diabetes and told me to accept that fact. That was an enormous blow to my self esteem, a low point in my athletic career, but a turning point, nevertheless; I simply refused to accept what the coach told me. I decided to earn my seat and remove any hint of doubt that I may not deserve to be in the top boat. A combination of focus, faith and uncompromising physical effort won me that seat in the varsity boat, along with an award for most improved rower, and the respect of my teammates, who voted me team captain in my senior year.

That summer I made the Canadian under-23 National team, placing 2nd in the World Championships in Italy. I returned to Boston to finish our best recorded season of my four years, placing fifth in the nation. I have spent the past 6 months training and trialing for the Canadian Olympic Rowing Team and have not only made the team, but also have not missed a single practice so far this year.

I am proud of my athletic successes, gold medals, and scholarships; but even more so, I am proud of my daily triumphs over diabetes, of my determination to overcome the little setbacks that could slow me down each day I hope that by showing that diagetics can persevere in the toughest of training programs and go on to win medals at the Olympics, I may inspire other diabetics to pursue their dreams."

Indeed Chris is an inspiration and DESA members all over the globe will be cheering him on in the Athens Olympics.