One Campbell River youth has been doing more than just working a summer job this August.
For the past six weeks, Keegan Taberner has been making a 1,300-kilometre round trip of Vancouver Island in a bid to raise money for juvenile (Type 1) diabetes, an autoimmune disease which Taberner himself suffers from. On Wednesday, August 29, the 18-year-old stopped over in Powell River.
“I’ve had diabetes since I was two years old and I’ve also been sailing pretty much since I was a toddler.” Taberner said, “So I figured why don’t I combine my passion for sailing with something that affects me every day to see if I can make a difference, raise some awareness and raise some money.”
Taberner began his trip near the end of July, heading north from Campbell River and making pitstops in cities across Vancouver Island. Now, Taberner is on the last leg of his journey, aiming to make it back to his hometown within the week.
“It’s been a great experience to meet all these people and raise this money,” Taberner said. So far, the trip has raised between $9,000 and $10,000, with proceeds going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. “We’ve pretty much reached our goal [of $10,000],” said Taberner, “so I’m quite happy with what we’ve raised so far.”
Although he has only been on his journey for just over a month, planning for the trip began a long time ago, in May 2011. “I had the support of my family and friends...but it was pretty much done on my own,” Taberner said of the planning process. “There was a lot of preparation and a lot of learning, because I’ve never done a big fundraiser on my own like this.”
One of the challenges was accommodating Taberner’s diabetes during the trip. Diabetes requires strict monitoring of exercise and food intake, as well as regular insulin injections. Meals must be balanced and around the same time every day to control blood sugar levels.
“I had to learn what it was going to be like to be on a sailboat all day,” Taberner explained. He taught himself to establish a careful balance between eating and exercise, “because if my blood sugar gets too low, it puts me in a dangerous situation where I could pass out,” he said.
Taberner also needed a sailboat with a built-in refrigerator to use for insulin. “It was a bit of a pain, because most boats just have the box that you throw some ice in,” he said. Taberner and his one-man crew, Carsen Black, eventually settled on a 10.4-metre long Aloha 34.
The trip itself has been both challenging and enjoyable for Taberner. “There were parts that were treacherous, but it’s been pretty good overall,” he explained. Highlights included the Gulf Islands and the northern part of the West Coast. “Everything was so rugged, and there was nobody there,” he said, describing the coast further north. “It was just beautiful.”
On the treacherous side, Taberner and crew had to deal with fast currents in Seymour Narrows and huge waves on Nahwitti Bar. Weather, however, was not a problem. Although they have suffered through fog, “we’ve only had one day of rain in five and a half weeks,” said Taberner.
The sailing duo’s days range anywhere from four to 12 hours. “Our average day is probably about six or seven hours,” Taberner said. “This boat travels at jogging speed, so we actually don’t go very far.”
After a nine-hour sail from Gibsons to Powell River, Taberner said he will spend his day in the city resting and relaxing. “Today’s just going to be a nice slow day,” he said, adding that the duo will be going to visit Black’s family later in the afternoon.
Those interested in finding out more about Taberner’s journey, or making a donation toward his cause can visit his website at www.keegantaberner.com.
