She had passed through childhood unscathed — but at age 21, Carmen Pellegrino was diagnosed with type 1 or “juvenile” diabetes. Her pancreas had stopped producing insulin, the hormone that enabled her cells to use blood sugar as an energy source.

“They told me I was a very rare case, to get it at that age,” said Pellegrino on Monday, fresh back from a 4-day adventure at Ross Lake.

It was devastating news but she took it in stride and kept on living life to the fullest. Along with a daily dose of at least 6 injections of two types of insulin, Pellegrino was determined to maintain a regular dose of activity.

“People are often wondering if I ever work, because I’m always coming back from places I’ve been,” said Pellegrino, a public health dietician in the upper Fraser Valley.

Her weekends and holidays are short on idle time. Last weekend was Ross Lake — but the week before was Machu Picchu, Peru. That was some adventure: 11 young people, all with type 1 diabetes, accompanied by a doctor a nurse and another support worker. The trip was organized by TeamONE, a group that was founded in 2005 by Sebastien Sasseville, a type 1 diabetic with a passion for mountain climbing.

An added aspect of the trip was to raise funds for diabetes research. The group raised a total of $30,000, with $4,430 coming from Pellegrino’s efforts.

The trek to the ancient Incan city usually takes four days... but a surprise awaited the group when they reached the base site.

“When we got to Cuzco, we were informed that there would be a transportation strike in a few days,” said Pellegrino. “You hike up, then take a bus and train back down.

“To get around the strike, we had to leave a day early and do the hike in only two and-a-half days. It’s hard enough for people without diabetes, so it was an extra challenge for us. We were waking up at 4:00 a.m. and we were late getting into camp on two nights.”

Pellegrino said she had hiked in elevations over 3,000 meters (10,000-11,000 feet), but only for day trips.

“This was my first time hiking for three days at high elevation. The highest point on the trail is ‘Dead Woman’s Pass’ at 4200 meters (just under 14,000 feet).

“To be able to do all the outdoor activities I do, I have to really be on top of my insulin management,” added Pellegrino. “I have to account for my carbohydrate intake and calculate the amount of activity I’m going to be doing in the next few hours, so I can calculate the right dose of insulin.

“Four of us took injections and seven were on insulin pumps,” she said. “Neither could be said to be the better method — but I’ve had a pump before and I like the control I have with the injection method.

“We were sometimes testing our blood sugar every half hour. You get really sore finger tips from all that jabbing! Normally, on a 3-day hike at a lower elevation, I’d be cutting back on my insulin by the third day but on this hike, I noticed that I had to keep the same dose going through the third day, due to the effects of the high elevation.

“Some of the girls in the group weren’t in very good shape and they were really hurting — but they stuck it out. It was really good to be with this group, seeing how they deal with diabetes in a big physical challenge. I made some great new friends.

“The weather was wonderful and the views were spectacular,” said Pellegrino. ”We were so pleased to have arrived at Machu Picchu together, safely and with some great stories along the way.”

One of those stories included the Peruvian dinner that included an animal that most Canadians would consider a house pet.

“I wanted the whole cultural experience and they said that Guinea pigs were a huge delicacy, so I ordered one.

“It came on the plate [skinned and baked] with the head and the teeth and the feet with the little nails. I asked them to take it and slice it up and they did. The other hikers told me it was going to taste like chicken — but it didn’t! I can’t describe what it tasted like... and I only ate about a quarter of it.”

She also tried an alpaca quesadija, which was more edible.

Pellegrino added, “I have worked very hard to manage my diabetes and I enjoy a fun life, full of activity and outdoor adventure trips. With my advocacy work, I hope to inspire those not only with diabetes; but, those with any type of chronic condition to dream big, work hard and never give up. With strength, courage and determination, anything is possible.”