Leading the fight
The Canadian Diabetes Association
We are a member-based, independently governed charitable association, founded in 1953 by Dr. Charles Best, co-discoverer of insulin. The Association’s mission is to lead the fight against diabetes by helping people with diabetes live healthy lives while we work to find a cure. Our value driven culture is committed to excellence, partnership, innovation, integrity and respect.
Who we are and what we do
Across the country, the Association is supported in our efforts to lead the fight against diabetes by a community-based network of volunteers, members, employees, healthcare professionals, researchers and partners.
By providing education and services, advocating on behalf of people with diabetes, supporting research and translating research into practical applications – we are delivering on our mission.
How we are leading the fight against diabetes
The Association is dedicated to advocating on behalf of people with diabetes and giving them a strong voice. Each year, we invest in the best, most innovative diabetes research in Canada. We also bring diabetes research to life by translating our Clinical Practice Guidelines into practical tools for healthcare professionals.
How you can help
There are many ways you can help us lead the fight. You can set a fitness or fundraising goal by joining Team Diabetes, make a reusable clothing or small household item donation through Clothesline®, become a member, volunteer or simply donate to our cause.
Diabetes – a global pandemic
It is anticipated that more than 400 million people worldwide will live with the disease by 2030.
Today, more than 9 million Canadians live with diabetes or prediabetes.
• 3 million with diabetes (2.5 million diagnosed, 700,000 undiagnosed)
• 6 million with prediabetes
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic, often debilitating and sometimes fatal disease in which the body either cannot produce insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it produces. This leads to high levels of glucose in the blood, which can damage organs, blood vessels and nerves. The body needs insulin to use glucose as an energy source.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the pancreas no longer produces any insulin or produces very little insulin.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to meet the body’s needs and/or the body is unable to respond properly to the actions of insulin (insulin resistance).
Prediabetes refers to a condition where a person’s blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes is first diagnosed or first develops during pregnancy. Blood glucose levels usually return to normal following delivery. Both mother and child are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
The disease
• Type 1 diabetes usually develops in childhood or adolescence and affects up to 10% of people with diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes usually occurs later in life and affects approximately 90% of people with diabetes
• Gestational diabetes affects 2% to 4% of all pregnancies
• Nearly 50% of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes
• Being 40 years of age or older
• Having a close relative (parent or sibling) who has type 2 diabetes
• Being a member of a high-risk population, such as those of Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian or African descent
• Having a history of gestational diabetes or prediabetes or some evidence of the complications of diabetes (such as eye, nerve or kidney problems)
• Having heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or being overweight (especially around your abdomen)
The serious complications
• Diabetes can shorten life expectancy by 5 to 15 years
• 80% of Canadians with diabetes die from a heart attack or a stroke
• 42% of new kidney dialysis patients in 2004 had diabetes
• Diabetes is the single largest cause of blindness in Canada
• 7 of 10 non-traumatic limb amputations are the result of diabetes complications
• 25% of people with diabetes suffer from depression
The prevalence of diabetes
• Today, nearly 1 in 4 Canadians either has diabetes or prediabetes
• More than 20 people are diagnosed with the disease every hour of every day
• By 2020, it is expected that 9.9% of the population will be living with diabetes
The cost of diabetes
Not only is diabetes a personal crisis for people with the disease, it is also a tremendous financial burden for the Canadian healthcare system and society as a whole. The Canadian Diabetes Cost Model finds that:
• The economic burden of diabetes is currently $12.2 billion annually
• The cost of the disease is expected to rise to $16.9 billion by 2020