JDRF Applauds World Health Day Advocating to End Diabetes

TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - April 07, 2016) -  On World Health Day 2016, JDRF, the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research worldwide, applauds the World Health Organization (WHO) for dedicating this day to defeat diabetes. JDRF is a committed ally in the battle against diabetes, raising funds to accelerate the pace of the most promising global T1D research. This global footprint allows JDRF to have a broader view of the diabetes research landscape to bring these discoveries to the T1D community faster.

An example of JDRF's commitment to accelerate research is the recent announcement from the Canadian Institutes for Heath Research (CIHR) who will provide funding for five Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Networks in Chronic Disease. Each SPOR Network will receive $12.45-million from CIHR to be matched by partners and JDRF is a proud financial supporter of two of the five networks announced by the CIHR.

"To ensure that Canada continues to be a global leader and centre of excellence for diabetes research, we need to accelerate more life-changing research even faster to transform the lives of over 300,000 Canadians and their families who have to cope with the daily challenges of living with T1D," said Dave Prowten, President & CEO of JDRF Canada. "Continuing our rich tradition of diabetes innovations, from the discovery of insulin to islet cell transplantation, Canada is at the forefront of many technological and scientific breakthroughs. JDRF-funded researchers need the continued support of generous Canadian donors in order to give the T1D community the quality of life they deserve and need."

Are you in to end diabetes? JDRF is urging Canadians to be "in" to hope for a cure, "in" to fight for a better future and "in" to end diabetes. In to End Diabetes is a monthly giving program where passionate Canadians accelerate research all year round. To donate, please visit jdrf.ca.

About T1D

T1D is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone people need to get energy from food. T1D strikes both children and adults at any age and suddenly. Though T1D's causes are not yet entirely understood, the onset of T1D has nothing to do with either diet or lifestyle. Scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers play a role in this enduring condition. There is currently nothing one can do to prevent it, and there is no cure.

About JDRF Canada

JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF's goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people's lives until we achieve a world without T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D. As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF is currently sponsoring $530 million in scientific research in 17 countries. For more information, please visit jdrf.ca.