While 12-year-old Joshua Davies took to the ice at Ron Ebbesen Arena on Friday night, a thief gained access to the team’s dressing room and removed the Pee Wee player’s insulin monitor and pump.
According to his mother, Josh was diagnosed with diabetes nearly two years ago but it didn’t stop him from playing at a high level.
“It’s been very difficult,” said Rosalind Davies. ”It’s all about balance. It’s numbers, it’s meal planning. If (his blood sugar level) is too high, he has an off game. If he’s too low, it can be dangerous.”
In the fall of 2016, Josh received a pump that controls his insulin doses. The device, which is worth roughly $5,000, remains in the dressing room during the preteen’s hockey practices and games.
On Friday night, someone removed the pump and the family suspects the leather case was mistaken for a wallet.
“Josh was very upset,” said Rosalind. “It’s a device that is quite expensive. We were on a waiting list to receive this to make a better quality of life for Josh.”
“It’s very heartbreaking.”
Rink officials told the family an unidentified man was captured by surveillance cameras entering and exiting the dressing room. RCMP are attempting to find the culprit while the family hopes for the recovery of the pump.
“It is a useless device to whomever took it,” said Rosalind. “(It belongs to ) a 12-year-old boy, who lives with a daily, chronic condition/disease, that needs his pump to help him live daily.”
“Just please return it. My son needs it.”
The Davies ask for the pump to be returned to police or any local hockey rink.
