Toronto, ON, Nov. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- November is Diabetes Awareness Month and this year, Diabetes Canada is calling on Canadians to show support for people affected by diabetes through the Let’s Make Time campaign, inspiring people to learn more about this too-often “invisible” condition and sharing that knowledge with their communities.
“When it comes to managing diabetes, we’re never off the clock,” says Laura Syron, President & CEO of Diabetes Canada, who lives with type 2 diabetes. “The condition demands our time and attention like another part-time job, but we at Diabetes Canada believe that those day-to-day realities can inspire more Canadians to take the time to educate themselves and share the knowledge with their family and friends this Diabetes Awareness Month.”
For the close to 12 million people in Canada living with diabetes and prediabetes, Diabetes Awareness Month also provides an opportunity to share their personal stories. Siobhan Brooks, a mother of four children, three of whom live with type 1 diabetes, describes the real-life responsibilities of being a caregiver in her story, included in the campaign toolkit:
“We spend a lot of time monitoring, managing and talking about diabetes, but we’re determined not to let it run our lives,” Siobhan Brooks says.
For Amy Moore, a woman living with type 2 diabetes, sharing her daily life for the Let’s Make Time campaign helps to raise awareness, but also works to address the stigma of living with the condition:
“Diabetes is caused by a combination of factors, many of which are beyond our control. What I want people to know most of all is, we didn’t do this to ourselves,” Amy Moore says.
To foster education, awareness and connection, Diabetes Canada has planned numerous events and activities this November to bring this campaign to life, including:
- The free virtual Diabetes Canada Connect, a curated virtual education and community event aimed at fostering connections and learning with celebrity chef Rodney Bowers; registered dietician, Desiree Neilsen; type 1 diabetes (T1D) influencer, Mary Comeau, and more. Receive practical daily themed emails delivered right to your inbox from November 14 to 17, and then attend an exciting half-day virtual event on November 18. Register for free.
- World Diabetes Day ceremony at the Banting House National Historic Site in London, Ontario will take place on November 14, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Frederick Banting’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and the recognition of Banting House as the birthplace of insulin.
- Unite the Circle challenge: This new and exciting hybrid event will see 30 teams make time and commit to raising funds and moving 6km on November 14 (World Diabetes Day) to light a local community landmark. If all 30 teams move 6km, they will cover a total of 180km, the same distance between Banting House and the Toronto hospital where the first injection of insulin was administered. Learn more.
- #WearBlue social media campaign: Show your support on social media this November by posting a photo of yourself, your family and friends (including pets) wearing blue—the colour of the global symbol of diabetes awareness—and share how you are making time for Diabetes Awareness Month. Don’t forget to tag @diabetescanada, and #letsmaketime, #WearBlue, and #DiabetesAwarenessMonth to be reshared!
This November let’s make time for Diabetes Awareness Month. Let’s make time to end diabetes. Learn more at diabetes.ca/letsmaketime.
About Diabetes Canada
A world free of the effects of diabetes is our vision. That’s why we’re working together to improve the quality of life of people living with diabetes. We’re sharing knowledge and creating connections for individuals and the health-care professionals who care for them; advocating through public policy; and funding research to improve treatments and find a cure to end diabetes.
Diabetes Fast Facts
- 1 in 3 people in Canada are affected by diabetes or prediabetes.
- Close to 12 million people live with diabetes or prediabetes – that’s 30% of people living in Canada
- In 2023, more than 4 million people in Canada have been diagnosed with diabetes – that’s 10% of the population. Another 239,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with diabetes by the end of the year.
- Diabetes rates are expected to rise 26% in the next 10 years.
- Over 1 million people in Canada live with diabetes and don’t even know it.
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