Teagan Van Mulligen is an example the whole valley can learn from.

This remarkable young Windermere Elementary School student recently raised more than $1,000 during the Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes in Cranbrook. Such a strong effort to bring in money for a good cause (all funds raised at the event go to trying to help find a cure for diabetes) should alone grab your attention, but Teagan’s story (see page 5 for Erin Knutson’s full page feature on Teagan) becomes even more inspiring when you learn she is so passionate about the cause because she has Type 1 Diabetes.

Circumstances threw Teagan a big curveball at a young age and she clearly has the fortitude to not only catch such curveballs with grace, but to turn around and throw them right back full force.

To be able to negotiate what Teagan’s Dad calls the ‘math equation’ — all the checks and balances of having diabetes with the aplomb Teagan does is quite something, and she does so with maturity far beyond her years.

It takes considerable poise for a person to receive something as trying as a diabetes diagnosis and come out the other side brimming with enough drive and energy to drum up more than $1,000 in just three short days.

Teagan’s family and friends were a key part of her funding raising efforts and deserve praise too.

But the best part of the story? From the sounds of it, Teagan is just getting started. She already has plans to set up an ‘All Things In A Jar’ business (which would sell just about anything edible — such as cakes, other baked goods, salads and more — in jars) at the Invermere market and donate all the money she earns toward diabetes research.

The valley is lucky to have such a motivated student here and no doubt she will only continue to inspire others with her charitable efforts.