2022 Wrap Up

As we got through the height of the pandemic in 2021 and moved into 2022, we believed that it would be a year of hope. And thanks to the support of our incredible community of donors, volunteers, supporters – we surpassed even our wildest expectations.

We opened the year with one of our biggest undertakings as an organization – our Let’s Make History Again fundraising event in support of our $100 Million Campaign to Accelerate. Five flagpoles and Leaders of History, four cities, 100 Ambassador of History families camping in the cold winter in solidarity. This was spearheaded by a passionate and dedicated JDRF volunteer, Peter Oliver, who himself camped atop a flagpole 30 years before, and whose daughter Vanessa was one of our Leaders in History in April. Sadly, Peter passed away in September, but we carry his spirit and devotion to finding cures for type 1 diabetes with us in everything we do. We are so grateful to our many volunteers, corporate sponsors and staff for taking Peter’s vision and making it reality.  Read more about Peter Oliver’s incredible legacy.

Click here to watch a video of this incredible event

Our community rallied in ways that we could not imagine, and it only continued throughout the year. Thanks to our JDRF supporters, we were able to continue advancing the most promising type 1 diabetes (T1D) research getting us closer to cures, while improving the lives of people affected by T1D today.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, JDRF had another ground-breaking year– dedicating more dollars to research, strengthening our strategic partnerships, continuing to support newly diagnosed families, and sharing the latest research updates with our community.

Some highlights over the past year included:
In T1D research:

In Cell Replacement:

In Disease-Modifying Therapies:

  • Teplizumab was approved by the FDA in the USA. This drug has shown great promise as the first ever disease-modifying therapy for T1D, as it has been shown to significantly delay the onset of T1D.

In Treatments to Improve Lives:

  • JDRF-funded researchers are performing advanced clinical trials on a once-daily therapeutic drug that restores glucagon secretion to prevent hypoglycemia, and if approved would be the first drug of its kind for people with type 1 diabetes.
  • Funding programs devoted to improving mental health care and outcomes for people with T1D, including REACHOUT.

In Screening:

To read more about research updates, please visit www.jdrf.ca/blog to see more stories about the incredible progress that took place over the last year in type 1 diabetes research and development.

It has never been a more exciting time in diabetes research and at JDRF. And together with our JDRF community, we believe that a world free from type 1 diabetes is closer than ever.

Holiday Season Carb Counting

It’s the holiday season, and for most people that means indulging in seasonal treats and meals. It’s no different for people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). One of the major stresses of managing T1D, particularly for people who are newly diagnosed can be meal planning, and both how it will affect blood glucose levels and how much insulin you might need.

But with a little planning and preparation, you can and should enjoy time with family and friends – including holiday dinners – with confidence.

Thank you to Beyond Type 1 for these traditional holiday meal carb counts to help guide your decisions this holiday season.

* Please note that your portion sizes may vary, and your carbohydrate counts will need to be adjusted accordingly.

Mains

ItemAmountCarbohydrates
TurkeyAny0g
HamAny0g
BeefAny0g
ChickenAny0g
DuckAny0g
GooseAny0g
Lasagna1 Cup30g
Brisket1 oz.0g

Sides

ItemAmountCarbohydrates
Mashed Potatoes1 cup30g
Roasted Potatoes1 cup28g
Sweet Potato1 Med.28g
Potato Latke1 Med.10g
Candied Yams1/2 cup45g
Sweet Potato Casserole with Mini Marshmallows1/3 cup30g
Green Beans1/2 cup4g
Green Bean Casserole1 1/2 cup.9g
Corn1/2 cup9g
Sauerkraut1 cup6g
Glazed Carrots1/2 cup25g
Brussel Sprouts1/2 cup4g
Cheese1 oz.0-1g
Stuffing1/2 cup20g
Cranberry Sauce1/4 cup25g
Gravy1/2 cup5g
Dinner Roll120g
Biscuit125g
Cornbread1 piece28g
Challah2 oz.30g
Matzo Ball110g
Matzo Ball Soup1 cup15g
Noodle Kugel2″ Square23g
Apple Sauce – Sweetened4 oz.23g
Apple Sauce – Unsweetened4 oz.12g
Sour Cream2 tbsp..5g
Olive Oil1 tbsp.0g

Desserts

ItemAmountCarbohydrates
Sweet Potato Pie1/8th Slice35g
Minced Meat Pie1/8th Slice55g
Pumpkin Pie1/8th Slice35g
Apple Pie1/8th Slice45g
Pecan Pie1/8th Slice60g
Meringue Pie1/8th Slice50g
Fruitcake1/8th Slice26g
Christmas (Plum) Pudding2 oz.30g
Sticky Toffee Pudding2 oz.25g
Bread Pudding2 oz.20g
Trifle1 2 oz.15g
Ginger Snap Cookies4 (1 oz.)23g
Shortbread Cookies4 (1 oz.)21g
Chocolate Chip Cookies220g
Peanut Butter Cookies220g
Sugar Cookies222g
Meringue Cookies615g
Rugelach1 oz./pc.17g
Sufganiyot (Jelly Donut)125g
Cheese Blintz112g
Chocolate Gelt1 oz.17g
Cheesecake1 pc. (1/6)20g
Candy Cane115g
Vanilla Ice Cream1/2 cup16g
Chocolate Ice Cream1/2 cup18g
Brand Butter2 tbsp.15g
Whipped Cream
(Unsweetened)
2 tbsp.2g

Drinks

ItemAmountCarbohydrates
Eggnog1/2 cup30g
Hot Cocoa with Water1 cup15-20g
Hot Cocoa with Milk1 cup30g
Spiced Apple Cider (Non-Alcoholic)1 cup30g
Hard Apple Cider12 oz.15-30g
Wine (White or Red)5 oz.4g
Champagne5 oz.3g
Regular Beer5 oz.12g
Light Beer12 oz.6g
Spirits1 oz.0g

The BETTER project is now available across Canada

In November, to celebrate World Diabetes Day, the BETTER (BEhaviors, Therapies, TEchnologies and hypoglycemic Risk in Type 1 diabetes) project announced that it is now the first registry of people living with type 1 diabetes in Canada.

A key focus of JDRF’s research strategy is to fund research that can improve the lives of people with T1D today, while cure-based research is conducted in parallel. Initially piloted in Quebec, this project is funded through the JDRF-CIHR Partnership to End Diabetes, as part of its clinical trials support by using new therapies and interactive technologies to reduce hypoglycemic risk.

The BETTER project brings together people who live with type 1 diabetes and parents of children with type 1 diabetes (patient-partners), researchers, health professionals and decision-makers who are already involved and who want to advance quality of life, research to improve the clinical practices, and treatments for people who live with type 1 diabetes.

To better address hypoglycemic anxiety and control, Dr. Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret and his team at Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM) developed a registry of people with T1D to identify the needs and realities related to the disease.

The BETTER project is focused on measuring and reducing hypoglycemia in people with T1D. Hypoglycemia is common and one of the greatest fears of people living with the disease. It is defined by low blood glucose with symptoms such as trembling, sweating, confusion, and dizziness. Hypoglycemia and fear of hypoglycemia are two main barriers to optimal T1D management and can have a profoundly negative impact on quality of life. In most children and adults living with type 1 diabetes, hypoglycemia is common and is the main barrier to adequate diabetes management.

The registry is now available to all Canadians. Joining the registry provides access to a support platform, currently available for adults 18 years and older living with T1D, and a separate platform for healthcare professionals. A new platform for teens is in development. The platform includes information on topics important to people with T1D including medication, blood glucose monitoring, nutrition, physical activity, hypo- and hyperglycemia (low and high blood glucose) and overall health.

The registry also includes updates and information on T1D research that can be accessed by participants.

As of November 2022, the registry included more than 2800 people with T1D. The BETTER project also researches innovative approaches for hypoglycemia treatment, for example, comparing the effect of intranasal versus injectable glucagon. Anyone living with type 1 diabetes, or whose child is living with type 1 diabetes, in Canada is invited to register and share their reality by visiting type1better.com

Kids For A Cure 2022

JDRF’s Kids For a Cure advocacy event was held from November 13- 15 in Ottawa and what an impact our youth delegates made – engaging with more than 55 Members of Parliament and Senators during 20 meetings to share their stories of what it means to live with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and advocate the federal government for support on issues impacting people living with the disease.

Every two years, JDRF sends youth who live with T1D to Ottawa to put a human face to the disease and help Parliamentarians understand just how challenging it can be. After the pandemic made our event in 2020 virtual, we were thrilled to be back in person this year. Thirty kids between the ages of 4 and 17 were selected to be delegates out of over 150 applications.

Kids For a Cure – in the community

Collectively, they held 25 meetings, and made 21 commitments to send a letter to the Minister of Finance, while also having the chance to meet with other youth living with type 1 diabetes. This is a powerful aspect of this event, as many of our youth advocates live in communities where they are the only young person they know who has T1D. Kids For a Cure is not just about telling stories, but also about garnering government support for issues affecting the T1D community. The delegates made the following pre-budget recommendations to the government officials who they met with:

Recommendation 1

Recommendation 2

Our Kids For a Cure co-chairs 15-year-old Caleah of Brossard QC and Vanessa, 16-years-old and from Dieppe, NB spoke about what the event meant to them:

“I wanted to co-chair Kids For a Cure because it’s an event that allows kids with diabetes to have a voice. This is an important event because it helps to raise awareness among Canadian MP’s and senators about T1D and the importance of their help. I think it also has a greater impact, since we are the young people who are going to talk to them about it. Kids For a Cure is also a place where you can connect with the diabetes community across Canada.”
– Caleah

Kids For a Cure to me was an empowering experience.  Speaking our voice to make a difference and seeing the responsiveness of Senators, Ministers and MPs on Ottawa parliament hill was really inspiring.  It was a privilege and an experience that I will never forget!”
– Vanessa

Hearing from our youth delegates deeply resonated with the politician who they met with as well:

“It was a great pleasure to welcome JDRF and their youth delegates to Ottawa for their awareness campaign, Kids for a Cure. Youth delegates from across Canada living with type 1 diabetes had the opportunity to meet with MPs to share their stories and the reality of their condition.

I want to congratulate JDRF on their tireless hard work in research to improve the quality of life for those living with diabetes. As Co-Chair of the All-Party Caucus on Juvenile Diabetes, I know how important the partnership between the government and JDRF is in the fight to eradicate type 1 diabetes. JDRF and Canadians living with type 1 diabetes can always count me to be an ally.”
Marie-France Lalonde, MP Orléans

“It was my pleasure to welcome and meet kids with Type 1 diabetes and their parents to Ottawa for the special JDFR events. I got to know kids from coast to coast and learned about why it’s so important for our federal government to invest funds into research with JDRF.  Let’s make Type 1 Type None!”
The Honourable Nancy Hartling, Senator (New Brunswick)

 “I was excited to meet with the inspiring children ambassadors from JDRF Canada. Their advocacy and determination have made a positive difference for thousands of Canadians living with Type 1 Diabetes. The renewal of the Partnership to Defeat Diabetes and the release of the first of its kind Framework for Diabetes in Canada are critical steps forward in our government’s efforts to better recognize, collaborate with, and support those living with diabetes in Canada. To all the children I had the opportunity to meet, I commend your dedication and thank you for our leadership!”
The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health

A huge THANK YOU to all our Kids For a Cure youth delegates. JDRF is extremely fortunate to have a group of young advocates who speak so powerfully and persuasively about life with T1D. Thank you as well to the parents, for volunteering while supporting their children as they made their collective voices heard. Our Kids For a Cure delegates undoubtedly made real and lasting impact on the politicians they met over the course of the event, and this will benefit all Canadians living with type 1 diabetes.

Thank you as well to our sponsors:

Advocacy Partner

Medtronic Logo

Advocacy Supporter

The Turner family wants to help families like theirs affected by T1D

A diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1D) changes the trajectory of an entire family. This was no different for the Turner Family when Alex was diagnosed at 14-years-old.

The Turners are a close-knit family, parents Richard and Alison, and children Alex, Sara and Emma approached Alex’s diagnosis together as a family.

“At 14 years old, it was so traumatic and hard. For my parents, and of course for Alex. It really rocked our entire family. We were all affected,” says Sara. “And JDRF has been a part of our lives since then”.

Today, Alex works at RBC, and his wife Camryn works in Management Consulting. Richard, Alison, Sara, and Emma all have careers in the real estate sector. They have all been active volunteers with JDRF, particularly helping with events like the Sun Life Ride to Defeat Diabetes, and chairing the 2019 Gala in Toronto, Ontario.

It has been 15 years since Alex’s diagnosis. He played competitive golf as a teen and throughout university. While managing his diabetes, he struggled in ways other kids didn’t.  

“The CGM (continuous glucose monitoring) and other diabetes devices helps him monitor his insulin and blood glucose levels and puts him more on a level playing field. A lot of people still don’t have access to them.  Today these devices are more widely available, but they are still incredibly costly, and not everyone has the luxury to pay for them.” says Sara. “I can’t even imagine as a parent, experiencing the stress and anxiety that comes with having a child with type 1 diabetes. With a CGM, they can at least monitor their numbers while they’re at school or sleeping and take away some of the worry. But the truth is, you are always worried, and you will be forever until there’s a cure” says Sara.

It is for that reason The Turner Family have reaffirmed their commitment to JDRF through a total donation of $200,000 to support the most promising research both into a cure for type 1 diabetes, and into devices and therapies that can improve the lives of others living with the disease today.

“As a family we chatted about how we wanted to be remembered and decided it would be through a joint family donation to JDRF,” says Sara.

The Turner Family will be matching donations throughout December up to $100,000 until the end of the year.

Alex wants people to better understand what it really means to live with T1D:

“I need to think about every single piece of food I put in my mouth, or what activity I am going to do that day otherwise there could be severe repercussions. It all must be planned out. When I travel, even if it is just two hours out of the city, I must make sure that I’ve packed enough insulin and diabetes supplies.” says Alex. “What people need to know is that I do this every day – because it is what is keeping me alive.”

Something the family often thinks about is that Richard’s great-uncle passed away at 13 years old in 1900, from diabetes.

“Had he been born 30 years later; he would have lived. It was just 21 years later that insulin was discovered. Instead, he did not even make it to the age that Alex was diagnosed. It’s sobering. This is why we want to push funding for more research, like CGMs, other devices and ultimately a cure. Because you don’t know what the next discovery will be” says Sara.

JDRF is so grateful to the Turner Family for their incredible generosity. Their support will allow JDRF to continue funding the research that will get us closer to a world free from type 1 diabetes.