Over 1,700 athletes are participating in the Western Canada Summer Games, but just one is overcoming adversity that not a lot of athlete’s face. 

Katie Hart is representing the Northwest Territories for the second time at the Western Canada Summer Games. She co-captained the soccer team and is also participating in javelin and shot put. 

Representing a province or a territory is already an accomplishment in itself, but for Hart, it’s a little more special as she was born six weeks early in Edmonton and was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. 

Cystic Fibrosis has many effects but mainly hits people's lungs and causes them to spend lots of time in the hospital. She has fought this trend by keeping her lungs healthy through athletics. At age 11 she was further diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  

Despite having to take up to 40 pills a day and having to give herself six to ten insulin injections a day, Hart still has remained as one of the top athletes for the Northwest Territories. 

“It helps take my mind off of it. I go out to play sports, have fun but it also has been able to keep me healthy,” Hart said. “Without sports, I definitely would not be where I am today because it keeps me healthy by regulating my blood sugar and also keeps mucus out of my lungs by staying in good shape and getting a good workout which helps keep me out of the hospital." 

For Hart, sports have shown her that she can overcome anything, which is a message she wants to pass along to others. 

“It has definitely shown me in life that I can overcome anything thrown at me," she noted. "I have had these things, and I was very little, and I was able to overcome it and still be able to compete at a high level such as these games and other previous games I’ve been to. 

"It has helped me so much in my life, and it's taught me some huge lessons on being able to overcome anything and that there is no obstacle that can stop you if you have your mindset," Hart continued. "You are able to overcome everything that gets put your way." 

There are not a lot of former and current athletes to have participated at a high level with cystic fibrosis. Lisa Bentley, a Canadian ironman triathlete, Nathan Charles, who is a professional rugby union player, and that is about it. 

Despite sharing a similar trait with those athletes, it’s Harts older sister that has been her role model. 

“As the younger sister, you obviously look up to your older siblings, and she's been very successful in school and sports as well," she explained. "She had also gone to games before I did, so I always just looked up to her. She has always been very supportive of me and helping me push to be the best I can be." 

For Hart and others in a similar situation as her, participating at the Games shows that anything can be overcome. 

"It means everything to me," she stated. "It's such an honour to represent my territory at this high level of games. It definitely is huge and such a big honour and definitely appreciate every moment, and I just take it all in."