Bankers participate in Diabetes Association challenge

Some Thunder Bay bank managers are learning what it is like to live with a disease many Canadians suffer from.

Thirteen RBC branch managers are taking part in the Canadian Diabetes Association's Celebrity Challenge this year by taking mock medications on time, testing their blood levels, managing their diet and tracking their physical activity.

The whole idea is to raise awareness of the seriousness of diabetes and how a healthy lifestyle can prevent the disease. Participant Stephen Kontzie says he was surprised to see what people with diabetes have to do everyday.

The challenge runs until this Sunday, and the participants will be visible at the banks. They'll be the ones with a pink or blue teddy bear attached to them, which is where they administer the insulin.

More than 3 million Canadians are living with diabetes.