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Every time Hannah Schmidt steps into her skis, the Canadian Olympian readies to compete against the world’s best in women’s ski cross with a little more weighing on her mind.
Schmidt, an Ottawa native, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 12, and received care at CHEO for six years.
Now 30, she must prepare for each competition with a brighter spotlight on her diet — and that’s become a good thing.
"It's made me a better athlete in the long run," said Schmidt.
As a teenager, though, the stigma of her insulin pump weighed on her. The fear of standing out left her seeking guidance from older people with diabetes, but it was hard to find.
Schmidt hopes to fill that role for younger diabetes patients. That’s why, while recovering from a serious leg injury that abruptly ended her ski season, she took time to visit kids receiving diabetes treatment at CHEO.
Conversations covered what it’s like to live with diabetes and compete in world-class sport with diabetes, but kids also sought advice. The most common question: What is her favourite thing to take when her blood-sugar level gets too low?
“Skittles,” she told them.
She also wanted to relay a message she wished she heard when she first received her diagnosis.
"It's going to change your life, but it's not going to change who you are,” said Schmidt, who is now based in Calgary.
After surgery on her leg earlier this year, Schmidt aims to return to competition in September so she can prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
For more on diabetes and the Diabetes Clinic at CHEO, visit our website.