Pro hockey player Cory Conacher shines a light on overcoming Type 1 Diabetes in Miracle, Baby

Miracle, Baby is set to debut on November 14, marking World Diabetes Day and offering audiences a look into the journey of professional athlete and type 1 diabetes (T1D) warrior, Cory Conacher. The documentary’s digital premiere, which audiences can register to screen for free, offers audiences a look into Conacher’s life-long journey living with the autoimmune disorder.

Beyond gaining an understanding of this complex and misunderstood condition, Miracle, Baby offers a story of hope. Conacher’s story shows audiences that once empowered by information and determination, a T1D diagnosis doesn’t have to be a permanent roadblock in the pursuit of a normal and active life.

“It has been my life-long dream to play in the NHL and as with all hockey players, to win the Stanley Cup, but being diagnosed with T1D when I was eight-years-old, the odds were stacked against me,” says Cory Conacher, who originally hails from Burlington, Ontario. “I wanted others living with the disease to know that if you do all the right things to control your diabetes, you can dream big and live the life you want to live.”

Viewers are given unprecedented access to Cory’s life; how his Stanley Cup dreams came to a halt when he was reassigned from NHL team Tampa Bay Lightning to AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, living with T1D and managing his family life – as son to Debbie and Dave, husband to Shannon and father to Callum.

“Living with T1D requires a lot of management and being physically active makes balancing blood sugars a challenge,” adds Dr. Karen McAssey, head of Pediatric Diabetes at McMaster Children’s Hospital. “Despite these challenges, children we see living with T1D tend to be high achieving adults. There are treatments available and the skills they develop managing this condition help them excel in life”

Contrary to type 2 diabetes, T1D is an autoimmune disease and has no known cause or cure. The immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, causing dependence on an external source of insulin for life. Formerly known as “Juvenile Diabetes,” the majority of T1D cases are diagnosed in childhood.[i]

“T1D doesn’t discriminate and can affect anybody but, as Cory discusses in the film, as long as you’re managing it well, you can still achieve anything you put your mind to,” comments Calvin Hudson Hwang, director, writer and producer of Miracle, Baby. “Cory is a great role model, particularly for those who have been newly diagnosed and we wanted to give his extraordinary story a platform to not only educate, but to inspire others to take control of their diabetes.”

For those who subscribe to the premiere in advance, there will be an opportunity to submit questions for Cory to answer online!

To subscribe to the Miracle, Baby digital premiere, to submit your questions for Cory or for more details on streaming the documentary, visit suprecontent.com/miraclebaby. Following the digital premiere, Miracle, Baby will be free to screen through the rest of Diabetes Awareness Month (November) thanks to the generous support of screening sponsors.

The trailer for Miracle, Baby can be viewed on SUPRE’s YouTube channel.