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One of the greatest fears among many people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is insulin therapy-associated hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Marked by symptoms such as trembling, sweating, confusion and dizziness, the condition can lead to seizures or a coma, and even death.

Dr. Xiao Yu (Shirley) Wu, a JDRF-funded investigator at the University of Toronto, is developing a glucose-responsive, microneedle patch for the delivery of therapeutic hormones to prevent hypoglycemia in T1D patients.

Applied to the skin during sleep, exercise or when performing full-attention tasks such as driving, the patch will sense when blood glucose levels are below the normal concentration and then automatically release the counter regulatory hormone, glucagon, for better glucose control.

Hypoglycemia is one of the most serious acute complications associated with insulin therapy. In their latest paper in Advanced Materials , Dr. Wu and her team show how the microneedle patch has the ability to minimize the risk of hypoglycemic episodes and death among people living with T1D, and alleviate the psychological burden of hypoglycemia anxiety, thereby improving quality of life. At the same time, it is also convenient, painless and potentially inexpensive.

“With the generous support from JDRF, our team will continue advancing the development of the glucose-responsive glucagon patch, aiming at clinical trials in the near future,” says Dr. Wu.

For more informative articles on health and type 1 diabetes, visit our JDRF Blog. 

Imagine being treated for one disease only to learn that form of therapy may lead to another grave condition. New research has revealed that some patients are diagnosed with autoimmune disorders following cancer immunotherapy. According to a study published in the journal Diabetes, roughly 1% develop a form of insulin-dependent diabetes similar to type 1 diabetes (T1D).

JDRF International, The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust recently announced a collaborative research initiative to better understand this phenomenon and to identify the causes of T1D following checkpoint therapy for cancer. The three non-profits are jointly funding $10 million in autoimmunity research over a three-year period.

“This collaboration combines leading experts in diabetes and cancer immunology to accomplish a feat that has never been achieved: permanently turning off an autoimmune response in humans,” says Dr. Aaron J. Kowalski, JDRF International’s President and CEO. “Investing in this research will help us better understand, in real time, how T1D develops and potentially disable the immune system so that disease progression never happens.”

The initiative marks the first time that prominent cancer immunotherapy and diabetes research organizations have teamed up to explore the link between these two chronic diseases. Investigators are hopeful that their findings will also provide greater insight into the causes of T1D in the broader population.

For more informative articles on health and type 1 diabetes, visit our JDRF Blog

What if people at risk of developing type 1 diabetes (T1D) could curb the progression of the disease by a couple of years?

Earlier this month, TrialNet’s Teplizumab Prevention Study revealed that teplizumab, an immunotherapy drug that suppresses the immune system, delayed a diagnosis of T1D by an average of two years in children and adults at high risk. Results were presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 79^th Scientific Sessions and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Immunotherapy is a promising form of treatment that could one day become an insulin-free alternative to potentially cure T1D. It involves the use of substances, such as drugs, to stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight diseases.

All participants in TrialNet’s Teplizumab study were relatives of people with T1D and thought to have close to a 100% chance of developing the disease in their lifetime. Of the 76 high-risk individuals who took part in the trial, 55 were under the age of 18.

Funded by JDRF and the National Institutes of Health (primarily through the Special Diabetes Program), this research represents a major breakthrough in the area of prevention. While previous studies showed teplizumab prolonged insulin production in people recently diagnosed with T1D, this is the first to demonstrate that a drug can delay a diagnosis in high-risk individuals.

“Delaying the progression of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the only approach in the short-term to impact the incidence and prevalence of the disease,” says Dave Prowten, JDRF Canada’s president and CEO. “This study marks an incredible advancement in research that will not only affect many people living with  T1D, but also help bring us closer to our goal of turning type one into type none.”

For more informative articles on health and type 1 diabetes, visit our JDRF Blog. 

24-year old Jessica Williams, a long-time JDRF volunteer turned JDRF staff member who has been living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) for 14 years now, is focused on enjoying her life as much as she can. She credits the freedom she has to her insulin pump but keeping both has been a battle.

“Recently, I didn’t have insurance to cover [the pump] and neither did my partner,” Jessica recounts as she’s overcome with emotion. “I was telling myself that I’d have to go back to needles, but my big fear was that I wouldn’t do it and would end up hurting myself. The pump just gives you so much freedom and control.”

Jessica’s experience is not unique. One of the biggest challenges facing Canadians living with T1D is the significant out-of-pocket expense required to manage their disease. “If I didn’t have coverage through pharmacare or my partner’s insurance it would be $700 out of my own pocket every month,” says Jessica who now gets coverage as a JDRF staff member.

The medical benefits of using insulin pumps over daily injections are significant, with a reduction in glucose variability and improved quality of life observed in users. And while some provinces and territories provide coverage for these devices, most of the time it’s only covered until 18, 19 or 25 years of age (depending on the province or territory), leaving young adults to carry this financial burden for the rest of their adult lives. Jessica and all other insulin pump users know what the solution to this problem is: Provinces and territories need to remove age restrictions on insulin pump coverage. But this won’t be done without the T1D community’s help.

“Start doing things,” says Jessica. “You need to start making those phone calls, start writing those letters, start booking those meetings. While it does take time out of your busy schedules, it doesn’t do anything to sit and talk to people unless you’re talking to the right people. It makes such a big difference to get actively involved.” That’s why we’ve made it easy for the T1D community to speak out and help remove age restrictions on insulin pump coverage by emailing their provincial representative.

It’s important to know that even for those like Jessica who do get insulin pump coverage through their employment insurance, it is not always an easy process to navigate. “Even though I’m covered for the pump now, I need to provide proof that I need it,” explains Jessica. “My pharmacy needs to send all of my prescriptions to my endocrinologist, and then my endocrinologist has to sign them and complete a letter stating that I have diabetes. I’m talking to three different people [from the insurance company] and it’s taking close to a month just to prove that I have diabetes, that I have a pump and that I need coverage.”

Private coverage is important, but provinces and territories can set a good example for all insurance companies by supporting the immediate needs of the type 1 diabetes community. If you’d like to help people like Jessica and make insulin pumps accessible for everyone living with T1D, send a letter to your Premier and Minister of Health urging them to remove age restrictions and improve the lives of thousands of Canadians.

 

 

Last month, Canada’s Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) released their first annual report which amongst other recommendations, stated that all Canadians receiving life-sustaining therapy (eg. insulin) should qualify for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC).

The DAC was established in late 2017 by the Minister of National Revenue following successful efforts by JDRF Canada and Diabetes Canada to restore access to the DTC for more than a thousand adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who had been denied due to a change in eligibility requirements. The DAC’s mandate is to advise the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on how it can improve the way it administers and interprets tax measures for Canadians with disabilities, and how it can better respond to the needs and expectations of this community.

The loss of the DTC was a significant blow to the financial well-being of members of the T1D community. This report, which it presented to the minister of National Revenue and the CRA commissioner, is creating hope that the daily realities of type 1 diabetes will be made a bit less stressful for people like JDRF advocate Kelsey Levandoski, who took it upon herself to visit her Member of Parliament (MP) to discuss her concerns about issues with the DTC.

Diagnosed with T1D 20 years ago at the age of 8, Kelsey’s family was presented with many challenges and as one of four children in her household, the costs were adding up quickly. She had been in and out of the hospital with low blood sugar levels and more serious diabetes complications. Last year, she was finally able to start on a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), which gave her the blood glucose control she desperately needed.

This year, Kelsey started on an insulin pump and feels she now has the ability to self-manage her condition. “I feel like I am more in control of my type 1,” she says. “Although it is still a challenging thing to live with, I now have the tools to be able to live better, but it comes with costs and sacrifices.”

Luckily, Kelsey has coverage through her employer, but like most plans, there is a maximum which doesn’t take long to reach, leaving her to pay out of pocket for these supplies. The CGM and insulin pump supplies alone are over $700 monthly excluding insulin, test strips, ketone strips, etc. 

When she learned about the DTC through a social media group, she wanted to take advantage of it. After jumping through many hoops to get her healthcare professional on board, Kelsey was denied not once, but twice before she decided she was going to have to advocate for herself. She visited the office of her MP Larry Maguire, and sought his help. Kelsey’s determination and self-advocacy resulted in a win for her – she was approved for the DTC up until 2023.

Kelsey’s advocacy efforts are a great example of what happens when we speak up to make change happen. However, this should not be such a difficult path for people. As the DAC report suggests, the federal government should make the DTC refundable for all persons with disabilities, including those living with T1D.

“I envision fewer obstacles for people,” says Kelsey. “Type 1 diabetes isn’t your ‘typical disability’ but is time consuming, costly and a very exhausting condition. For some families, it’s a matter of choosing between paying bills or purchasing insulin and that is a position no one in Canada should be put in. I found my voice through this experience and I want to continue to help and be a voice for as many people as possible”.

You too can influence change by joining Kelsey and the rest of our advocate team to improve policies that affect all people living with T1D. Join us and make a strong impact with your personal story.

Shawn Wicks was an elite athlete who held his health in high-regard, trained vigorously, and competed as an MMA fighter training in Muay Thai kickboxing, but he felt something was off – his feet were always sore and he was exhausted all of the time.

“I didn’t have the energy to train, I recall days sneaking out of the gym to drink an espresso so I could finish an hour-long workout… I just attributed it to work and stress.”

When Shawn visited his general practitioner (GP), he was told he had a high fasting blood sugar. He was promptly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and medicated accordingly, but his symptoms persisted. After repeated visits with his GP, he was eventually prescribed insulin and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

He was 29-years old.

With no immediate access to an endocrinologist, Shawn had to teach himself how to inject insulin and learn in real-time how his body reacted to it.

“I remember watching YouTube videos on how to inject and just giving myself little bits at a time so I could figure out what it was doing to me and how much I actually needed,” Shawn said in a conversation with us.

Fast-forward to today, and Shawn still competes as an MMA fighter while educating people living with diabetes on managing their glucose levels through exercise and diet.

“Being diagnosed was the scariest thing in my life,” he added. “I think it’s really important that people understand it takes work, but it can be manageable. T1D made me take control of my life and made me learn what I could do, and I want to inspire other people to take control of their life.”

Born in Newfoundland, Shawn’s journey led him across the country to British Columbia where he trains with Universal MMA in North Vancouver, but his fight with T1D began long before his arrival. He credits his fiancé with the perspective he needed to get help.

“Looking back now, I hadn’t been well for a few years. It wasn’t until I was in a relationship with someone who saw my behavior every day to tell me something was wrong. I had spiraled into a place where I didn’t realize my blood sugars were affecting my mental and physical health.”

It was a long road for Shawn to come to terms with it.

“As an athlete, I was someone promoting health. I didn’t understand [T1D], I was ashamed of it, I didn’t know if it was something I did. As I started learning more about nutrition and how to get a handle on it, I refocused my life to be an advocate and educate people about T1D… Now, I am proud of it.”

When you are routinely squaring off with 215-pound men trained in martial arts, managing type 1 diabetes on top of the task at hand is a major hurdle, but Shawn has mastered managing his blood sugars when he hits the octagon. He says he has never suffered a low during a fight.

“It’s tough because before a fight you feel adrenaline, you might get shaky and your hands start to sweat and it’s hard to tell whether it’s adrenaline or a low since the symptoms for me are the same,” Shawn said.

When asked if his team understands his T1D, he laughs as he remembers his coach’s reaction to one of the first times he went low during training and stopped to eat glucose tablets.

“My coach is really a suck-it-up type of guy, and I remember him looking up at me saying, ‘Come on man, what are you doing? Sitting there eating candy?’”, he recalled.  

Shawn credits them for coming a long way. Now all he needs to do is put his hand up and his coach immediately knows what’s up.

Being diagnosed as an adult, Shawn distinctly remembers his life before T1D. He describes the contrast between then and now like “playing a video game on expert mode.” Everything is tougher and the learning curve is steep, and much of what you learn is through the mistakes you make…

Like when Shawn accidentally gave himself 50-units of fast-acting insulin before going to the gym after mistaking it for his long-lasting insulin.

“I have 2 pens, one for my fast-acting and one for my long-lasting, I accidently put the fast-acting insulin into the pen that I normally keep my long-lasting in. I injected and went to the gym. I was on the stair climber when I had this flashback of what I’d done and I was out of there faster than the Roadrunner. My cupboards were empty, so luckily the store in my building was open, and I bought apple juice and 2-liters of pop and went to work on them until I could get myself to the grocery store,” Shawn said.

Shawn embraces a live and learn attitude, but every lesson amounts to a better understanding of himself and how he manages his T1D.

As a participant in the Sun Life Walk to Cure Diabetes for JDRF, Shawn credits the event as an incredible vehicle to drive awareness, accelerate T1D research, and unify the T1D community. “I feel like I’m really a part of something special through JDRF and the work that I do. It’s amazing being around people I can have open and honest conversations about living with T1D.”

Shawn is also fascinated with the research that JDRF funds, "I want to find out why and at what point the immune system starts attacking insulin producing cells; that to me is most important. I am also really excited about islet cell transplants; I would love to see a successful way to encapsulate them without the body rejecting them.”

By supporting the Walk, Shawn hopes his story can reinforce the critical awareness that the event brings to T1D and amplify JDRF’s mission. “I think the awareness is crucial; no one should live with the stigma or feel ashamed of having T1D. Awareness has to be a priority, but it’s empowering to know there are so many people working on a cure and out there helping each other to living with it. JDRF does an incredible job of helping people see that.”

To learn more about Shawn Wicks, follow his journey as a T1D MMA fighter at:

 

@TheDiabeticFighter   @TheDiabeticFighter   @DiabeticFightR

 

There is not much that Cody Westman needs to do to convince his 6-year-old son, Graham, to be an active little boy, “he goes non-stop,” says Cody. “Ice hockey, road hockey, biking, skateboarding, drums, and I do it all with him. The hardest part can be remembering to stop for snacks while we’re at it.”

Graham was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) this past December and, like every family in this community, the news was tough to receive, “it was a lot to take in at once, knowing that he would need insulin for the rest of his life and constant care and attention to his diet.” And like many parents of young kids, mealtime wasn’t the easiest time of day, “Graham wasn’t the best eater before. Before this diagnosis, we would always take snacks with us wherever we go, but now we have to be so diligent about him eating every 90 minutes to 2 hours, making him finish his portions, or substitute with other foods to make up his carb count. We’ve learned a lot about nutrition lately – I’ve never looked at food labels so much in my life!”

Being a T1D dad can be tough but as a filmmaker, Cody uses the realities of type 1 diabetes as a source of inspiration, “I’m full of ideas and influenced by everything I’ve ever seen.” This creativity is what lead to the, now viral, Graham’s Growlers video, “I knew it would be more impactful showing a video rather than just having pictures on our [Sun Life Walk to Cure Diabetes for JDRF] fundraising team page.”

“Graham has always been able to deliver lines to the camera and we had fun with this one. His little brother, Adam, made a cameo in it as well, playing the ‘bad guy’ and the ‘mad scientist’.”

And the video was an incredible success, “In the first day we reached more than half our goal. Since then, the local news station called us to cover the story; we have had a ton of generous donors come out of the woodwork, and even a very special donation from [DONOR] in St. John’s that was awarded on the day of the Walk!”

Having every single T1D dad be a part of this community and bring their unique flavor to our collective goal is what makes us so powerful, “money raised from [events like Walk] goes toward research and treatments that can ultimately affect millions of people living with diabetes, and make their lives easier. My son is one of these people.”

Happy Father’s Day to every T1D dad and thank you for everything you do to keep us moving forward.

 

Fresh on the heels of Montreal Canadiens centre and JDRF National Spokesperson Max Domi’s announcement to join thousands of fellow participants at the Sun Life Walk to Cure Diabetes for JDRF in Montreal this Sunday, June 9, Max Domi joined 13 families in Montreal to discuss life with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

On Tuesday, May 28, Stéphane Lagrange – Sun Life Walk to Cure Diabetes for JDRF Co-Chair and father of a son with T1D – hosted a media day with Max Domi, during which 13 young people, all living with type 1 diabetes themselves and top Walk fundraisers, interviewed Max about his experience and what life is like as a professional NHL player while living with T1D.

More than talking about his daily routine, Max shared why this community is so important to him, “We all have something in common, and we’re like a huge family in a way. We’re all here to help each other and we’re going to help each other get to whatever we want to do.”

After spending the morning with members of the type 1 diabetes community, Max sat down with the media and continued sharing his story to increase awareness of T1D and the 2019 Walk, “[This community is] just one of the many positives of being in this situation,” said Max. “The other positives are learning, getting stronger, mentally and physically, being aware, meeting so many cool people and having a platform to share your story.”

Max will be attending the Sun Life Walk to Cure Diabetes for JDRF on June 9^th at the Centre de la nature de Laval. Join Max and register at jdrfwalk.ca.

 

It has only been a few months since Rowena Chan started as Senior Vice-President of Sun Life Distributors, and she has already decided to step into the role of Honorary Chair for the Sun Life Walk to Cure Diabetes for JDRF.

Our Honorary Chair plays a vital role in driving the overall success of our signature walk event. This exceptional corporate leader inspires their organization to form teams and walk in the largest diabetes fundraising event in Canada.

 “It’s incredibly humbling to be at the forefront of this dynamic movement, rallying our employees to come together to help defeat this disease,” says Rowena.

This is the sixth year that Sun Life has been a proud partner of the Walk, and their second year as the National Title sponsor. Rowena’s engagement as the Walk’s Honorary Chair continues to solidify their strong commitment to JDRF’s mission and to the fight against diabetes as part of their overall purpose of helping clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. “Teaming up with JDRF is a natural fit for Sun Life. We want to help accelerate research breakthroughs to help alter the course of this disease and potentially find a cure,” says Rowena.

As Chair, Rowena will rally Canadians as well as Sun Life employees, advisors and clients to help raise awareness and critical funds for type 1 diabetes. “So much has been accomplished in recent years; we need everyone’s help to continue this momentum,” Rowena says. “I’ll be at the Toronto Walk on June 9. Register now and join me in the fight against diabetes either in Toronto or at one of the local Walks happening across the country. Together, we can move the dial on diabetes research and care.”

At JDRF we look forward to working with Rowena and Sun Life to raise these vital funds, and hope you will join us too.

To find your local Walk event, click here.

Evelyn Riddell vividly remembers the year she began university as a happy and hopeful student embarking on the first step towards her future career.

However, adjusting to university life was difficult. Evelyn, who lives with type 1 diabetes (T1D), suffered from burnout, which affected many aspects of her life.

“I realized that I wasn’t putting as much time into my self-management as I could have,” she recalls.  “T1D takes a lot of effort, but I understood why. When I allowed my blood sugars to remain out of range, all other aspects of my life were affected. My studies and my social life. I was losing out on experiences and couldn’t enjoy the moment.”

Although Evelyn did not have to be hospitalized, she knew she had to make changes to her lifestyle. Diagnosed at the age of 12, Evelyn was already well-versed in the daily management of T1D. However, exam season added much anxiety and often caused fluctuations in her blood sugar levels. That’s when she started to notice that it was affecting her exam performance.

“I have a heightened fear of having a low (blood sugar) during class,” Evelyn states. “Given the day-to-day schedule changes at school, I have to find a routine for basal insulin that works and eat at a certain time since everything will impact my blood sugar.”

Gradually, the realization set in that self-advocacy would be her best defence in ensuring a smooth process at school.

“Universities have Accessibility offices, which offer many resources for students, so I went to discuss my situation with them,” Evelyn recounts. “We worked together to create a plan personal to my T1D. I have such accommodations as only writing one exam per day. I am also allowed to take breaks during the exam and will get that time back at the end. It takes away the stress of treating a low blood sugar that makes me lose writing time. Now that I have more control over my T1D during exams I find that I do much better academically.”

According to Evelyn, people living with T1D can especially benefit from coping mechanisms for stress.

“T1D is 24/7 and we don’t get a break,” she says candidly. “But I have learned that it is 100% worth it. When you prioritize your health, it creates a domino effect which positively impacts other areas of your life. For example, you will be performing at your best academically.”

Evelyn is one of the founding members of the University’s College Diabetes Network Chapter, which helps to raise awareness of the challenges related to T1D on campus.

“It is extremely important that you tell your peers about your T1D, so they can be there to help you,” she says. “Be open with your friends, and teach them about T1D. Having someone who can spot a low blood sugar, or who can be there to listen is a great way to help relieve stress.”

Evelyn is currently in her third year of university. She credits T1D for teaching her a lot about herself and shaping her into the woman she is today.

“T1D has given me a hyper-awareness of my body, which is pretty special because I understand exactly what it’s feeling,” she says. “It also gave me a strong sense of resiliency, as well as time management and many other skills which come in handy for school. Recognizing what I go through and realizing that everyone has something they are struggling with has also made me more empathetic.”

Over the years, Evelyn has become involved with JDRF, participating in its annual Walk and Ride, and serving as a spokesperson for the organization. She was also hired as JDRF’s marketing and communications intern last summer.

“It was my first real ‘grown-up’ job in an industry I wanted to work in,” she relates. “The position offered roles and responsibilities that were challenging, and all related to finding a cure for T1D. It was truly a powerful experience to collaborate with people who shared a common goal, and one so close to my heart.”

Since Evelyn’s experience with burnout, she has adopted a different outlook on living with a chronic illness.

“Health is always a priority,” says the 20-year-old. “Resources are available to help you, but you have to be your own advocate. And if you let it, T1D can be your personal superpower.

From left to right: Dr. Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret, Dr. Philip Toleikis, Dr. Mark Poznansky, Dr. Kathy McCoy and JDRF Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Sarah Linklater

Earlier this month, JDRF celebrated a year of tremendous achievements and welcomed prominent scientists in the field to discuss their work at its You are JDRF Conference.

Held at Toronto’s BMO Institute of Learning from April 30-May 1, the annual event showcased revolutionary advances in type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and paid tribute to JDRF volunteers, staff and partners who helped make these successes possible. It also shared expert strategies on how to improve fundraising capacity throughout the organization to further its mission to find a cure.

“Thanks to the generous support we received, 2018 was a remarkable year for JDRF,” says Dave Prowten, President and CEO.  “Not only were we able to fund cutting-edge research that is paving the way to novel treatments, but we also made important inroads to improve access and affordability to technology for all Canadians living with T1D.”

Among the key research highlights of the conference were:

How does your gut microbiome affect development/progression of T1D?

Kathy McCoy, University of Alberta

Dr. Kathy McCoy is interested in the dynamic interplay between the gut microbiota and our immune systems. Her research aims to understand how exposure to intestinal microbes, particularly during early life, educates and regulates the immune system and how this can affect susceptibility to diseases, such as allergy, autoimmunity and autism.

Dr. McCoy’s lab also investigates how the microbiome regulates the immune system throughout life with the goal of identifying microbial therapies for the prevention or delay of type 1 diabetes onset in susceptible individuals.

Development of a new technology to enable transplantation of human stem cell-derived beta cells without immune suppression 

Mark Poznansky, Massachusetts General Hospital

Dr. Mark Poznansky founded the MGH Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center (VIC) 10 years ago with the mission to accelerate the development of broadly applicable, safe and cost-effective vaccines and immunotherapies for cancer, infectious diseases and type 1 diabetes. The use of cellular therapies to provide dynamic insulin replacement in people with T1D is one of VIC’s focuses.

As active members of the JDRF Beta Cell Replacement Consortium, Dr. Poznansky and his team have contributed significantly to the development of encapsulation therapy. With support from JDRF, they continue to explore and optimize using CXCL12, which is naturally secreted by our immune system to protect implanted beta cells against inflammation and immune attack in encapsulation systems without the use of immunosuppressive drugs.

Using new therapies and interactive technologies to reduce hypoglycemic risk

Dr. Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret, Montreal Clinical Research Institute

Dr. Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret is an endocrinologist best known for his work on the artificial pancreas. He is  collaborating on the development of a province-wide registry of people with type 1 diabetes in Quebec that will enable clinical trials aimed at measuring the impact of new therapies and cost-effective technologies to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia.

Known as the BETTER project (Behaviors, Therapies, Technologies and Hypoglycemia Risk in Type 1 Diabetes), the study will track the incidence of hypoglycemic episodes among patients and employ innovative therapies, such as the use of an online platform that provides educational resources and support tested by registered participants. Dr. Rabasa-Lhoret and his team hope to identify successful measures that can be implemented into the daily care of patients to improve overall blood control, thereby decreasing the risk and burden of hypoglycemia. One of the goals will be to expand this approach to other health care systems to leverage their findings.

For highlights from the You are JDRF Conference, check out our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

 

 

Young people living with a chronic illness like type 1 diabetes (T1D) often experience anxiety which – if not treated – can quickly spiral downwards into depression. However, the link between diabetes and depression remains poorly understood and under-researched. Depression is often viewed as a natural outcome of “diabetes distress” – the emotional burden of living with the disease.

Dr. Patricia Pelufo Silveira, a Montreal-based researcher at McGill University and The Douglas Research Centre, is challenging this assumption. Her research examines the heightened risk of diabetes-linked depression, its impact on the development of mental-health resiliency among youth, and the possibility of a shared origin story – specifically the role of insulin function in the brain and increased risk for depression.

Dr. Silveira is exploring which combinations of factors may increase our risk for developing chronic diseases and mental illnesses, both the ones we inherit (genetic) and the environmental (epigenetic) ones we are exposed to in the womb and early childhood, specifically, those that increase exposure to excessive stress hormones and blood-sugar levels, among others.

 

 “Adolescents with T1D are learning to manage their condition, while also adapting to puberty, peer group pressure, autonomy from their parents and identity formation,” explains Dr. Silveira. “This can create psychological distress that negatively affects their blood sugar levels and their self-care.”

Indeed, metabolic abnormalities are associated with a high risk of depression in youth living with T1D. For example, T1D is considered an underlying contributor to dyslipidemia, a condition in which abnormally high levels of lipids are found in an individual’s blood, which may also be linked to the higher incidence of depression.

For those living with T1D, mental health needs to be taken as serious as physical health. The prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) symptoms among people with diabetes is approximately 10 percent – double the prevalence in individuals without a chronic illness, and increases the longer a person has diabetes.

According to Dr. Silveira, young people with T1D should have routine screening for psychological issues and regular assessments following their diagnosis. The early investigation of depression-like symptoms would not only encourage them to maintain their self-care, but also translate into significant cost-savings to the health sector. As well, regular visits with trained psychologists in the field would help reduce the likelihood of diabetes-related complications and possibly prevent suicidal incidents in the long term.