Neal Brenner, 41 of Roanoke, Virginia is embarking on the journey of a lifetime which began on March 8 and lasts until March 24. With nothing but a laptop, a satellite phone, and his insulin pump to manage his diabetes, Neal will drive over 4,800 miles through the Arctic Circle with a friend as they take part in a 16-day adventure from Edmonton and ending in Tuktoyaktuk (the uppermost edge of Canada’s Northwest Territories).

While this trek may be physically grueling, Neal will tell you that the toughest part will be trying to manage his diabetes. Neal is faced with the added difficulties of maintaining his blood sugar levels and making sure he has enough insulin to regulate it throughout his trip. Neal was diagnosed at the age of 27 with a severe form of type 2 diabetes, similar to a person with the more severe form of the disease called type 1 (or juvenile) diabetes that makes him insulin-dependant.

Under these conditions, Neal and his team of “adventure seekers” will visit the Arctic and take part in activities such as dog sledding, hiking, snowmobiling, camping. Though not every portion of the trip requires participants to “rough it,” the group will be expected to fix their vehicles if anything goes wrong, face extreme weather conditions, camp in the wilderness and drive through rough terrain.

As Neal drives through the Arctic Circle, he is actively keeping an online journal (http://drivetheglobe.com/adventures/arctic/live/) which includes daily log entries, photos and videos. Being involved in such an adventurous trip shows that diabetes is not something that will hold Neal down. His involvement with his local chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, through participation in Walk to Cure events, galas and private fundraising events hosted at his home, he has demonstrated his commitment to not letting diabetes keep him down and becoming a role model to others who are struggling with this disease.