Campaign continues
Dad vows to keep fighting for diabetes support in schools
By Lisa Rutledge, Times Staff
News
Mar 12, 2009


A proposed bill compelling schools to assist diabetic children was quashed in Queen’s Park, but a local dad vows the government hasn’t heard the last of him yet.

Bill 137, the private member’s bill proposed by Cambridge MPP Gerry Martiniuk, died in second reading in the Ontario legislature last week, losing in a vote of 26-13. The MPP had launched the bill to take up the fight for Cambridge father Terry Bordman, whose six-year-old twin girls, Brooke and Jade, have juvenile diabetes, Type 1. The girls undergo blood sugar checks at least four times a day and receive at least three insulin shots per day. One of those checks needs to happen around lunchtime.

Martiniuk has no plans to resurrect the bill, arguing it will only get defeated again in what he says was an orchestrated political move by the Liberal government. However, he was quick to slam the Liberals for “abandoning” diabetic children.

Bordman, on the other hand, insists he’s just getting started.

“If they think this is dead, they’ve got another thing coming.”

The father has taught childcare staff at the daycare at the girls’ St. Augustine school how to monitor sugar levels and administer insulin or offer sources of sugar as needed, even if it just means giving them juice.

He aims to ensure all schools do the same. Under teacher contracts, school staff are not required to administer medication except in an emergency, such as with an EpiPen, developed for children with life-threatening allergies.

There’s no difference, argues Bordman. If his daughters’ blood sugar climbs too high, they may need insulin. If it drops too low, they require a shot of glucagon to boost levels or else they could slip into a coma or die.

And although he said the girls have required minimal medical intervention from childcare staff, he insists safeguards must be in place to protect kids with juvenile diabetes.

Bordman worries the quick death of Bill 137 could ultimately amount to the death of a child.

“They’re basically saying, ‘We don’t care whether your kids live or die’,” he said. “That’s not acceptable.”

Bordman contends the concerns raised by politicians who rejected the bill were based on unfounded fears, misinformation and political agendas.

“They had no clue what they were talking about.”

While some argued the checks will be too complicated for staff and could put schools in a legal position, Bordman countered by saying it’s not difficult and has trained caregivers in under three hours. And the proposed legislation would have protected staff from liabilities.

With a list of the MPPs who voted against the proposed bill in hand, Bordman plans to enlist the help of voters in each of their ridings.

“I’m going to start contacting all the people in their districts,” he promised. “I’m going to confront them and that’s step one.”

The Cambridge dad is also planning to launch a website to connect families with children living with juvenile diabetes to share stories.