Skip to Content
Donate

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas does not produce any insulin. Insulin is an important hormone that helps your body to control the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood.

Roughly 10 per cent of people living with diabetes have type 1, insulin-dependent diabetes. Type 1 diabetes generally develops in childhood or adolescence, but can also develop in adulthood. People with type 1 need to inject insulin or use an insulin pump to ensure their bodies have the right amount of insulin. 

How 2 Type 1

Do you live with type 1 diabetes? Do you care for someone who does? Whether you've been recently diagnosed or living with the disease for years, How 2 Type 1 is for you. This video, developed in partnership with the Diabetes Leadership Foundation, aims to provide support, knowledge, expert advice, and actionable steps to help you and others in the type 1 diabetes community thrive!

Click here to view the full playlist

Understanding type 1 diabetes

Symptoms, treatment, and complications from type 1 diabetes may vary from person to person. The following information will help you learn more about this disease and provide you with helpful tools, assessments and resources.

We need a strategy now

Although people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have different journeys, including whether or not they experience symptoms, there is one issue that unites all people living with the disease. Canada has no strategy to address one of the most significant health-care crisis of our time.

With no dedicated support or action to tackle the diabetes epidemic, it means that, every 24 hours:

  • more than 20 Canadians die of diabetes-related complications
  • 480 more Canadians are diagnosed with this devastating disease
  • 14 Canadians have a lower limb amputation
  • our health care system spends $75 million treating diabetes

Related Content

Know your rights

Are you living with diabetes? Learn about your right to access care, devices, medication and more.

Your rights About Know your rights

Local programs & events

Browse our event listing to find diabetes programs, events, or fundraisers in your region.

View events About Local programs & events

Become a volunteer

Learn how to become a Diabetes Canada volunteer and apply today!

Apply today About Become a volunteer