We all play a role in ending diabetes. No matter how big or small, every action makes a difference.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month and a time to shine a light on a disease that affects close to 11.5 million Canadians. It’s also a time to highlight the incredible, inspiring, and hopeful actions being taken by individuals, communities, governments, and organizations that help end diabetes. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the revolutionary Canadian discovery of insulin. But insulin is not a cure, and we can’t wait another 100 years to end diabetes.
Building on the legacy of the co-discoverers of insulin (Banting, Best, Collip, and Macleod), and the incredible work of current Canadian researchers and clinicians, Diabetes Canada is urging Canadians from coast to coast to take action to end diabetes. When we think of ending diabetes, we automatically think of a medical or scientific breakthrough. However, we end diabetes when we ensure that people living with the disease have access to the medications, devices, and supplies they need to live well, when we end the stigma associated with having diabetes and make people feel fully included in society, when we end the burden of having to test blood sugars 14 times per day, and when it no longer represents an 11-to 15-year loss of life expectancy.
There are many ways to get involved in this year’s November campaign. And every action, no matter how big or small, makes a difference. Whether it’s helping to dispel myths associated with diabetes, donating to support research and programming, attending a free diabetes webinar, speaking up with elected officials to improve access to medications, supplies, and devices, or even ensuring that you see your health care provider, every action matters.
It’s the collection of actions from across the entire diabetes community that will help drive progress and improve the quality of life of those affected by diabetes. Throughout November, Diabetes Canada is aiming to achieve 100,000 actions to help end diabetes.
