Author: Linxi Mytkolli

Are you interested in supporting type 1 diabetes research in Canada? The Connect1d Canada Community Advisory Committee (CCAC) is looking for people from the diabetes community to be a part of the committee that supports our Connect1d Canada program.

The Private Member’s Bill put forward by Sonia Sidhu, MP, Brampton South, to establish a national framework on diabetes passed unanimously in Parliament yesterday. This is a major step forward in supporting the health of people with diabetes or at risk of type 2 diabetes across Canada.

You can read the bill here: https://parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/43-2/bill/C-237/third-reading

Preamble: “Whereas one in four Canadians live with prediabetes or diabetes, a chronic disease that can result in life-threatening complications if not treated;

Whereas Canada, the birthplace of insulin — a hormone that has played a key role in the control of diabetes —, seeks to be a leader in promoting diabetes awareness;

Whereas diabetes awareness and education can help people identify early signs of diabetes and thus prevent or delay its onset;

Whereas federal and provincial coordination and information sharing is required to prevent and treat diabetes as well as to prevent health inequities among people suffering with this disease;

And whereas the Parliament of Canada recognizes the need to be proactive in the fight against diabetes, and the Government of Canada should develop and implement a national framework for diabetes.”

Our partners at Diabetes Canada have just announced their 2021 research competition. Learn more below.

Diabetes Canada’s 2021 research competition is now open for applicants! This year, Diabetes Canada will be awarding 15 End Diabetes:100 Awards. Each of the 15 awards commits a $100,000 operating grant annually for three years to support brilliant scientists and provide them with the freedom, autonomy, and resources to set them on the road to breakthrough discoveries.

The objective of the End Diabetes:100 Awards are:

• To support researchers in the discovery of the biomedical, clinical, health services and/or population health factors that lead to the onset and progression of all types of diabetes and related complications.
• To develop solutions aimed at the prevention, management, or cure for people living with diabetes.

There is a two-stage application and review process:

1. Applicants are invited to submit a letter of intent (LOI).
2. After panel review, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application. Diabetes Canada intends to advance the top ranking LOIs to the application stage to ensure a funding success rate of 50%.

At this stage, we invite all interested applicants to complete and submit by email an LOI using Diabetes Canada’s letter of intent submission template. Please note all LOIs are due by June 20, 2021, 7:59 p.m. ET.

Please check the Diabetes Canada website and review the 2021 Research Competition Guide for full details on the award being offered and eligibility criteria, policies, and timelines for the 2021 competition: https://www.diabetes.ca/research/grants—awards/competition

We thank you for your interest in the Diabetes Canada research competition, and for the crucial role you play in the advancement of diabetes research. Diabetes Canada is committed to working together with talented researchers towards our common goal of creating a world free of the effects of diabetes.

By Krista Lamb

On April 14, 2021 Diabetes Action Canada partnered with the Banting & Best Diabetes Centre and the University of Toronto’s Department of Medicine to host a celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the discovery of insulin.

This event was designed entirely by a team of people living with or caring for someone with diabetes, and was an opportunity to share stories of how insulin has changed lives for the better. Each speaker was chosen because they were living with diabetes or doing work that was making a difference in the field.

More than 1,000 people registered for this virtual event, which was attended by those from around the world. They watched video presentations from people living with diabetes who shared their stories—including our youngest Patient Partner, 7-year-old Chloe Pow and her father, Conrad.

Mother daughter duo Dana and Marley Greenberg discussed their experiences living with type 1 diabetes and how the condition has changed in the almost 50 years since Dana’s diagnosis—and in the more than ten years since Marley’s.

The Diabetes Action Canada Indigenous Patient Circle was represented by Sasha Delorme and her family. Sasha told the story of her son Brayson’s diagnosis with type 1 diabetes and her own diagnosis with type 2 diabetes. And Diabetes Action Canada Patient Partner Mike Alexander shared his experience as a survivor of the Sixties Scoop. He had developed depression and battled addiction before his diagnosis with type 2 diabetes and has now transformed his life to become a successful triathelete.

Drs. Bruce Perkins and Alice Cheng shared the latest developments in insulin treatments in a panel moderated by Dr. Sarah Linklater, the Chief Scientific Officer for JDRF Canada. And Drs. Holly Witteman, Joyce Dogba and Joseph Cafazzo shared the ways that people with diabetes are being integrated into every part of the research process—and how that is improving the results.

In a special presentation, Grant Maltman, the curator at Banting House National Historic Site of Canada, discussed the importance of place in the discovery of insulin before unveiling Canada Post’s new stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary.

Jen Hanson, the Executive Director of Connected in Motion, and Oria James, the co-founder of the University of Toronto’s College Diabetes Network, presented on living and thriving with type 1 diabetes—a talk filled with resources to help those with diabetes find community and connection.

Throughout the evening, videos were shared from across Canada and around the world. Researchers, health care providers, people living with diabetes and those caring for someone with diabetes all submitted messages to commemorate this anniversary and talk about what insulin means to them.

The entire event was truly a celebration—with the chat filled with questions and comments from an international audience who were touched and inspired by the presentations.

This celebration was made possible thanks to a generous donation from Sun Life.

Videos from the event are now available for viewing on the Diabetes Action Canada website.

Watch now!

By Krista Lamb

With diabetic retinopathy currently a leading cause of blindness in working-age Canadians , the need to do more is clear. That’s why Diabetes Action Canada researchers Dr. Valeria Rac, lead for the Health Technology Assessment and Network Analytics program, and Dr. Michael Brent, lead for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening program, developed Project OPEN.

Vision loss from diabetic retinopathy is often preventable if it’s detected early, but in each of the provinces there is a significant gap in screening. In Ontario, for example, more than 450,000 people (40% of those with diabetes) had not had their eyes checked over a two-year period. According to ICES data, a large majority of those who have not received screening are from low income areas in large cities.

Project OPEN takes a population-based approach to this problem. They are using administrative health data to identify people living with diabetes who have not had an eye examination more than a year. Their goal is to identify and engage patients, improve access and awareness of screening and improve health outcomes. Patients are then directed to one of the participating community health centres to receive a screening. Funding for the project is being provided by Fighting Blindness Canada and a private donation.

“When we asked people living with diabetes what is the most important for them, it was actually eyesight. That’s where the discrepancy was between the patients and providers. Providers identified other priorities, but patients were very clear that the number one priority for them was that they have an opportunity to keep their vision,” says Rac. This helped her team understand what people with diabetes wanted and to create a program that would help to achieve it.

Project OPEN is a unique opportunity to use administrative data in a way that puts those living with diabetes at the forefront. It is, Rac explains, using data that already exists to improve clinical care. Data from ICES will be used to identify people who have not been screened. Then, using electronic medical records, individuals will be referred to the participating community health centres for an exam.

The program has a particular focus on underserved communities, such as new immigrants, asylum seekers and the uninsured, who may not realize that they are eligible to receive this service. Many, Rac explains, would not even show up in electronic medical records if it were not for the participation of the community health centres. These are often the only places vulnerable populations will seek treatment.

“I think at the root of this project is also enhancing overall awareness,” says Jim Bowen, program manager for the Health Technology Assessment and Network Analytics program within Diabetes Action Canada. “The fact that 40% of people had not been screened indicates that there’s a lack of awareness of the availability and the funding for this screening. In order to prevent blindness, we need to make sure people understand that they need to get their eyes checked on a regular basis.” Project OPEN helps increase this awareness and access.

Working with a Diabetes Action Canada Patient Partner, Debbie Sismore, who herself is blind due to diabetic retinopathy, was a huge help in developing the program. Both Debbie and her husband, Malcolm, were involved in the project from the initial conception in order to ensure input from those who are living with this particular complication. “Both Debbie and Malcolm, as an example, provided input on the interview guide that we will use to interview patients about their experience with the screening that is currently ongoing in different community health centers,” says Rac, explaining how the duo have helped to create resources that will work well not only for health care providers, but also for those living with diabetes.

The involvement of those with diabetes will continue to be a priority for the team, as they move into the next phase of this project. Rac is hoping to engage more people with diabetes from vulnerable populations to ensure the program continues to fit their needs.

Congratulations to our Aging, Community and Population Health team for the publication of their recent paper: Engagement of older adults with multimorbidity as patient research partners: Lessons from a patient-oriented research program. The paper was published in the March 17, 2021 issue of the Journal of Multimorbidity and Comorbidity.

The research paper shares the five challenges the team, led by Dr. Maureen Markle-Reid, learned from working with older adult partners throughout the research process. These were:

1) actively finding patient partners who reflect the diversity of older adults with multimorbidity;

2) developing strong working relationships with patient partners;

3) providing education and support for both patient partners and researchers;

4) using flexible approaches for engaging patients, and;

5) securing adequate resources to enable meaningful engagement.

The hope is that this paper will provide guidance to researchers on how to have meaningfully engage with this vulnerable and understudied subgroup in the patient engagement literature.

Read the paper here.

By Krista Lamb

*This article originally appeared on the BBDC website.

It has been 100 years since the discovery of insulin, a seminal event in medical history that has saved the lives of millions of people around the world. It is an exceptional reason to celebrate, which is why the Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, Diabetes Action Canada, and the University of Toronto Department of Medicine have developed an event that will share not only exciting developments in Canadian research but also the experiences of those living with or working within the field of diabetes.

One of the speakers at this event, Dr. Bruce Perkins, is both a diabetes researcher and a person living with type 1 diabetes. Perkins, who is the Director of the Leadership Sinai Diabetes Centre and a Professor at the University of Toronto, will be speaking about the latest advances in diabetes treatment. It is, however, the magnitude of the discovery of insulin, a drug that keeps him alive and healthy, that is most significant to him.

“As a scientist, and a person with diabetes, it is humbling to realize what an extraordinary thing this discovery was one hundred years ago, and that we’re so fortunate to be able to celebrate it in its fullest,” he says. “The history really motivates me. It was a simple discovery with so much impact.”

Perkins will be joined on the panel by Dr. Alice Cheng, an endocrinologist at Unity Health in Toronto who is a passionate advocate for the diabetes community. She too sees this event as much more than just an opportunity to discuss diabetes treatments. “It’s exciting to learn from the past, in terms of understanding the history of the discovery, and then learn about what’s happening now and what might happen in the future,” she says. “It is a celebration of the achievement, but also meant to further Inspire everyone to continue this work so things keep getting better. It’s a very proud moment.”

In addition to this panel, which will be moderated by Dr. Sarah Linklater, Chief Scientific Officer at JDRF Canada, people living with diabetes will be front and centre to share their stories. Members of Diabetes Action Canada’s Indigenous Patient Circle will discuss the role of insulin in their lives, Jen Hanson from Connected In Motion will share ways to live an active and healthy life with type 1 diabetes, researchers from across Canada will explain how people living with diabetes have begun playing an active and vital role in their studies, and messages of celebration from around the country will be shared throughout the event.

“When we started to explore how to celebrate this milestone, we knew that people living with diabetes needed to be at the heart of it,” says Dr. Gary Lewis, Director of the BBDC and Scientific Co-Lead for Diabetes Action Canada. “We are so thrilled to have an array of speakers who will be sharing their experiences in a way that will educate and inspire. Our greatest hope is that a cure will happen within the next 100 years, but for now we want to show our appreciation for this life-saving discovery.”

Join us on April 14, 2021 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET. The event is free, but registration is required.

The full agenda is available here.

By Krista Lamb

Share in an evening of storytelling and science in honour of this life-saving discovery

On April 14, 2021 from 4:30 to 8:15 p.m. ET, the Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, Diabetes Action Canada, and the University of Toronto Department of Medicine will bring together a diverse group of speakers to share their stories about how the discovery of insulin has changed their lives for the better.

Open to everyone, this virtual event, 100 Years of Insulin: Celebrating its impact on our lives, will highlight the latest advances related to insulin, as well as the stories of those who are alive today because of this discovery.

“Toronto is understandably proud of its role in the discovery of insulin, which took place here at the University of Toronto,” says Dr. Gary Lewis, Director of the Banting & Best Diabetes Centre and Scientific Co-Lead for Diabetes Action Canada. “We are thrilled to be able to celebrate virtually with friends and colleagues from across Canada thanks to the generous support of our sponsor, Sun Life. I hope that all those who attend will leave inspired by the work being done in this country to further the legacy of Banting, Best, Collip and Macleod.”

Topics covered at the celebration will include, diabetes through an Indigenous lens, the importance of having people living with diabetes involved in the research process, new developments in diabetes treatment, and how to thrive with diabetes. In addition, Canada Post will unveil its newest commemorative stamp to mark the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin.

“Every day of my professional career as a diabetes specialist I am privileged to help people use insulin in the best possible way to live healthy, active lives,” says Dr. Jacqueline James, Department of Medicine Division Director, Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of Toronto. “At this event attendees will learn about the many ways that current approaches have improved how insulin is used today, and what is hoped for the future.”

This free, public celebration has been generously supported by Sun Life. They are a leader in supporting diabetes awareness, prevention and care in Canada. Sun Life has a long history of supporting health and wellness and their commitment to improving the lives of people living with diabetes.

This event is one of many that will be held as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin. On April 15th and 16th the University of Toronto’s Scientific Symposium will provide comprehensive updates on the latest advances in diabetes treatment and management through a series of online educational sessions and live, online, panel discussions with the experts from around the world. In addition, numerous other partner events will take place throughout the year.

The full agenda for the public celebration is available here.

Register now to secure your place!

About Diabetes Action Canada:
Diabetes Action Canada is a Canadian research organization that was launched in 2016. It is funded jointly by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR)  Strategic Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) program, non-profit organizations, and private sponsors. The Network focuses on bringing people with diabetes, their caregivers and researchers together to identify the health concerns of those living with diabetes and to co-create research projects that address these concerns. Diabetes Action Canada partners and collaborate with university research teams across Canada, non-profit organizations, and provincial governments to plan, execute and evaluate these research projects so we can improve patient outcomes and experiences.

About the Banting & Best Diabetes Centre:
The Banting & Best Diabetes Centre (BBDC) was established in 1978 as an extra-departmental unit of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto with the primary objective of advancing diabetes research, education, and patient care. It now has a network of over 200 faculty and health care providers involved in diabetes research, education and care from various departments at the University of Toronto and its affiliated hospitals and research institutes. The BBDC offers several grants, studentships, fellowships, and other support for qualified individuals involved in diabetes research at the University of Toronto and its affiliated hospitals and research institutes. It also hosts scientific conferences to facilitate the exchange of scientific information and ideas, and to assist in the development of collaborative diabetes research activities both locally and internationally.  The Centre also develops continuing health education and quality improvement initiatives for all members of the diabetes health care team.

About the University of Toronto Department of Medicine:
The Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto is one of the oldest departments of its kind in North America, dating back to the founding of the School of Medicine in 1843. A major milestone in the department’s history was the establishment of the Sir John and Lady Eaton Professorship of Medicine in 1919; the first endowed chair in clinical medicine in what was then the British Empire. Now, the Department of Medicine is one of the largest in North America, with 800 full-time faculty members, 1,000 postgraduate trainees, and 20 sub-specialty divisions. One third of Canada’s, and one half of Ontario’s, internal medicine specialists received their training here. The Department of Medicine is also a research powerhouse with $162+ million annual research funding. Our research generates new knowledge with the goal of meaningfully impacting internal medicine training and the care and health outcomes of patients and their families.