With files from Hockey Canada

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was eight years old, Markham Waxers goaltender Eadan McParland hasn't let that dictate his hockey career, or his life. Instead, he's embracing the opportunity to be a role model, and to show (just like his idol, Max Domi, has) that being diabetic and playing high-level hockey can go hand in hand.

McParland is part of the Waxers goalie tandem that won the OMHA U18 AAA Championships and then the OHF U18 AAA Central Region Championship. The team recently finished in fourth place at the TELUS Cup, losing in a shootout in the bronze medal game.

McParland’s diabetes means that his pancreas does not produce insulin to regulate his blood sugar. If his levels go too high, he starts to lose vision and gets thirsty. If too low, he’ll become shaky.

From the moment he was diagnosed at a young age, McParland took charge of monitoring his blood sugar levels through finger pricks. He will read his levels three times a day and calculate the amount of insulin he needs.

Each time McParland eats he needs to note the amount of carbohydrates he is intaking. He’s learned the proper timing of fuelling up before a practice or game to ensure the diabetes won’t affect his hockey performance on the ice.

“It won’t affect you at all, if you manage it.”