Laura Syron
President & CEO, Diabetes Canada
Inching forward, the new diabetes framework instills hope in millions of Canadians affected by the disease.
With 640 new cases daily, 26 hourly, or one every three minutes — diabetes isn’t slowing down. In fact, today, there are 11.7 million people in Canada living with diabetes or prediabetes, which is expected to increase by 19 per cent in the next decade. This is a growing epidemic and one that calls for urgent, ambitious, and collective action.
That’s why I’m energized by the recent Framework for Diabetes in Canada and what it means for people impacted by diabetes throughout this country. As someone living with type 2 diabetes, I know how critical it is to remain hopeful — to feel as though we’re taking steps forward rather than slipping backward. Even if those steps may feel small, together, they have a transformative impact on the trajectory of this epidemic.
Together we can show the world that Canada remains a leader in the struggle to end diabetes.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and I encourage everyone affected by diabetes to take their own step forward. That step can be anything from helping dispel myths often associated with diabetes, advocating for improved access to medications and devices for their community, and checking in with their health-care providers to ensure they receive routine and regular testing. What matters is we continue to move forward.
Together we can show the world that Canada remains a leader in the struggle to end diabetes. Together, the sum of our actions has the power to help end diabetes.
