Month: September 2020

September 29, 2020

By: Jonathan Peretz, CBRE, Senior Vice President, Managing Director and Ride Team Captain

I want to tell you a little bit about my resilient wife, Audrey.

Since the age of 13, Audrey has learned to live with type 1 diabetes (T1D), displaying patience and courage amidst countless pokes and prods, all while caring for our family and three beautiful children.

I’ve seen first-hand what it looks like to test your blood sugar upwards of 10 times a day, manually inject insulin and manage highs and lows. This is what normal looks like for her – and she does it while juggling a family and a career.

We know a cure is possible, and looking back on the medical advancements achieved last year alone, we know we’re closer than ever to finding one.

This October, the Sun Life Ride to Defeat Diabetes for JDRF is where I will be spinning, sweating or stretching for a cure for my wife, and you can join me in doing just that. Once you pick an activity that suits you best (cycling, yoga or a fitness class), you can spend an hour with your corporate peers moving for a cure.

The event will be virtual this year – meaning you can make a massive impact on the lives of those living with type 1 diabetes all while staying safe at home.

Help us raise critical funds for ground-breaking research. My wife’s life has changed for the better over the last 22 years…just think about what more we can accomplish together in the next 22!

We can’t thank you enough for your support. Let’s turn type one into type none together. 

UPDATE – October 1: Yukon will fund CGM for adults. This follows announcement last month to fund Flash GM.

September 25, 2020

The Yukon government has made the decision to fully fund flash glucose monitors (FGMs) for those 18 years of age and older with type 1 diabetes (T1D) starting on October 1^st. While this expansion of access to T1D technologies is a step in the right direction, the decision was made after ending a pilot program that covered continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for those 18-25 years old.

Improving access to advanced glucose monitoring for everyone living with T1D is the goal of JDRF’s Access for All campaign. Patients should have the choice of which device to use – whether it is CGM or FGM – that is most effective in managing their disease and this decision should not be based on which devices are publicly funded. Technology cannot be approached as one size fits all because each device has its own benefits and the best option will vary from person to person based on their circumstances and needs. For example, for someone with hypo unawareness, extra protection is provided by alarms offered on a CGM that alert the wearer of high or low blood sugar levels, including while sleeping, and allow them to take quick action.

The government’s plan will allow adults to be reimbursed up to the maximum cost of the FGM if they prefer to opt for a CGM instead. However, this will still pose a financial burden for some.

Public funding for T1D technologies continues to be an issue in provinces across Canada and JDRF is committed to working with the T1D community and provincial governments to get to our end goal of Access for All.

To learn more about JDRF’s #AccessForAll campaign check out jdrf.ca/accessforall.