karlee dorey

CHANGING THE CONVERSATION for People Living With Diabetes

Karlee was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in 2010 at the age of six. The diagnosis had a significant impact on her entire family, especially because no one else in the family had diabetes. With her siblings only four and seven at the time, it took time for Karlee, her parents, and her brothers to adjust to a new normal filled with needles, blood sugar checks, medical appointments, and careful food calculations, instead of the simpler life they knew before. 

Growing up with diabetes also meant learning early how to balance what she wanted to do with what diabetes required. One of Karlee’s biggest challenges has been finding that balance, especially while playing sports. When her blood sugar drops, she has to stop and treat it, even when she desperately wants to keep going. As a child, this was incredibly frustrating, especially because her blood sugar often refused to stay in range during activity. 

Outside of diabetes, Karlee has many passions. She enjoys playing soccer, swimming when she can, reading, watching movies, painting with watercolours, and watching hockey. She also loves travel and has visited every Canadian province except the Maritimes. One thing Karlee wants people to understand is that even after many years, diabetes never becomes fully predictable. It can become more manageable, but it is still unpredictable, even more than a decade later. 

Karlee also recognizes how much diabetes technology has helped her over the years. Tools like an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor make it easier to track patterns, deliver more precise insulin doses, and stay safe, especially during busy days when she is focused on school, sports, or life. 

Karlee’s advice is simple but powerful. Do not be afraid to ask for support. Independence matters, especially for teenagers and young adults, but diabetes is not something anyone should be expected to manage completely alone. 

Karlee has attended D-Camps since she was nine years old and has worked as a camp counsellor since 2022. D-Camps have helped her build independence in diabetes management in small steps as a child and in major ways as an adult, especially when she leaves home for two months each summer. She believes camp is important because it gives kids the chance to grow their knowledge and confidence in a supportive environment where diabetes does not feel isolating or overwhelming. 

Karlee is also proud of the advocacy work she has done with diabetes organizations since she was seven years old. Today, she is proud to be a university student at the University of Regina in the Faculty of Education, and she is excited to be graduating with her Teaching Degree in June 2026. Karlee has known she wanted to be a teacher since she was 13, and she is looking forward to teaching full-time in the near future. 

This year, Karlee is modeling in the Pump Couture Fashion Show again because she loves raising awareness and reminding others that diabetes affects people of all ages, and it does not take away the ability to live fully. She is also excited for another chance to walk the runway, especially because last year she had to do the show on crutches. 

Karlee is modeling to raise awareness, support D-Camps, and help change the conversation around living with diabetes. 

#PumpCoutureFashionShow #ChangeTheConversation #StopTheStigma