Abby Mason works the craft table in front of her North Bay home as part of Abby-Palooza which took place on Thursday. PHOTO BY CHRIS DAWSON.
Abby Mason isn’t a bad kid but she has to go to the principals office every day she goes to school.
As a diabetic, the 9-year-old needs to take 4 insulin needles on a daily basis.
“I don’t like it because I have to stop doing my work and go down to the principal’s office to do my work so,” Abby said about her trips to the office.
But instead of being upset about having the disease, Abby and her supportive family have worked on raising awareness and raising money for diabetes research.
For the past six years the family has been holding Abby-Palooza, a one day fundraising event involving local vendors and donations as the Mason-Hopkins home is transformed into a shopping plaza with crafts, clothes, soaps, jewelry, food, and even a very impressive raffle table.
Abby’s mother Amy Hopkins says the family believes holding an event like this is a great way to give back.
Amy says she is proud of her daughter who was diagnosed with diabetes at the tender age of two.
“Abby has certainly taken on her own role in it from when she first started she thought it was a big party and all about her, whereas now she has taken it into the schools into the community and she actually speaks on behalf of diabetes and brings awareness to the community about her disease,” said Hopkins.
Hopkins says they have raised about $5,000 each year with all the funds going to Diabetes research and a great indication again the North Bay is generous when it comes to supporting a worthy cause.
Canadian Diabetes Association https://www.diabetes.ca/
