Ron Cannan, MP for Kelowna – Lake Country was pleased to meet today with four year old Amy Buchanan of Kelowna who traveled to Ottawa with her family to participate in the third Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Kids for a Cure lobby day on Parliament Hill. Close to 50 children from across Canada took part in the initiative to raise awareness for Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes and to urge parliamentarians to support research efforts to find a "Made in Canada" cure.

Ron accompanied Amy and her parents to a luncheon sponsored by JDRF and later had a meeting with the family in his office where they were able to discuss in detail the burden that Type 1 diabetes places on their lives.

Later the same day Ron rose in the House of Commons and made the following statement:

“Mr. Speaker, I just finished meeting with a group of brave children and their families who face the daily struggle against the disease of type 1 juvenile diabetes.

Forty-five children from across the country, including a constituent of mine, beautiful four-year-old Amy Buchanan, are on Parliament Hill today. These children all live with the challenges of this disease.

I would like to honour these children and all the children of Canada, who endure this illness that affects every aspect of their lives, for their courage and their perseverance to not let this disease rob them of their dreams.

What families living with diabetes need is hope; hope for a future without this disease.

I am proud to say that my wife and I recently chaired a fundraising effort in my riding of Kelowna—Lake Country that raised over $80,000 for diabetes research. It is through the generosity of caring Canadians that we will reach our goal to understand and one day beat type 1 juvenile diabetes.

By working together, the mission is possible for a made in Canada cure for diabetes”