Month: May 2026

May is Mental Health Awareness month, an international movement dedicated to reducing stigma, providing education, and promoting mental health as a critical part of overall health and well-being.  The month highlights the need for community support, early intervention, and professional resources for those challenged by mental health issues. 

Having type 1 diabetes (T1D) affects a person’s emotional, social, and mental wellbeing throughout their lifetime, known collectively as psychosocial health. 

Research has shown that people with T1D are at higher risk of mental health disorders including depression, anxiety and disordered eating. These challenges are common in people with T1D and can be treated – but only with the right resources that address the correct gaps in healthcare specific to diabetes.

Launched in 2021, Breakthrough T1D takes a three-pronged approach to its Mental Health Strategy: 1) enabling knowledge generation through new research, 2) delivering a training program for mental health providers, and 3) developing both new and ongoing community supports.

Since then, we have seen significant progress in all three key areas, thanks to the generous support of donors, as well as partnerships with academia, other diabetes organizations, and community partners.

We are pleased to share the updates to this program that have taken place since May, 2025.

Mental Health + Diabetes Training Program
A training program specializing in type 1 and type 2 diabetes

We continued to deliver the Mental Health + Diabetes in both English and French, supporting registered mental health providers care providers to better understand the psychosocial impacts of diabetes.

This year, we developed a companion workbook to the e-learning that includes key takeaways from each module and includes thought-promoting questions. This workbook addresses feedback from learners that have completed the program, as this was a common request of participants.

We made updates and quality improvements to ensure the program remains relevant and evidence informed.

• 678 MH completed this training as of May 1^st 2026

Mental Health + Diabetes Directory
A directory of mental health providers who have completed the Training Program

Mental health providers who complete our training program are eligible to join our Directory of trained providers, allowing the the diabetes community to more easliy find providers in their communities.

We were very pleased to see consistent and continued growth of the Directory and we continued to work to increase the visibility of trained mental health providers across Canada.

We completed ongoing reviews and maintenance of the Directory to ensure listings remain accurate and useful for people living with diabetes and their caregivers.

The Directory now includes trained mental health providers who can provide care in all provinces and territories (please note for the territories they are currently offering virtual appointments and are cross-listed with other provinces).

• 244 MH listed as of May 1, 2026

Research updates
Current mental health research focuses on adolescents, young adults, and those facing care transitions or geographic barriers.

Projects funded in partnership with Brain Canada are developing and testing psychosocial interventions.

A randomized controlled trial, Teaching Adolescents with type 1 Diabetes Self-compassion (TADS) to reduce diabetes distress, led by Dr. Marie-Eve Robinson, Ontariodemonstrated that a mindful self‑compassion program significantly reduced diabetes distress, depression, anxiety, and disordered eating among youth. Full results from this completed study will be presented in 2026.

Dr. Tricia Tang, British Columbia uses a virtual care platform called REACHOUT to deliver peer‑led mental health support to adults with T1D across British Columbia. Participants in Dr. Tang’s recent trial showed reductions in diabetes distress and depressive symptoms, alongside increased perceived social support.

TECC-T1D3: Technology-enabled Comprehensive Care for young adults with Type 1 Diabetes and Diabetes Distress, a study led by Dr. Peter Selby, Ontario is using qualitative interviews to inform the design of a technology‑enabled care intervention for young adults experiencing diabetes distress, which is currently in the pilot phase.

Projects funded in partnership with CIHR address key life transitions and unmet psychosocial needs.

Aiming for Something Sweeter: Supporting Youth with Type 1 Diabetes During Transition from Pediatric to Adult Diabetes Care led by Dr. Sonia Butalia, Alberta is testing how to support youth transitioning from pediatric to adult diabetes care by integrating trained non‑medical transition coordinators into the health system.

Adaptation and Pilot Evaluation of a Digital Intervention Targeting the Psychosocial Needs of Individuals with Pregestational Diabetes: A Mixed-Methods Multi Phase Study led by Dr. Deborah Da Costa, Quebec is adapting the HealthyMoms digital platform to support the mental health needs of individuals with pre-gestational diabetes during pregnancy planning, pregnancy, and postpartum periods, with a trial planned for 2027.

Type 1 Diabetes, Exercise and Mentoring (TEAM) Trial: A randomized controlled pilot trial using peer mentorship to increase physical activity and quality of life in adolescents with type 1 diabetes led by Dr. Jon McGavock, Manitoba evaluates a peer‑mentorship model to increase physical activity, quality of life, and belonging among adolescents with T1D, with early feedback demonstrating meaningful benefits among participants.

Find Your CommuniT1D: Customized Virtual Peer Support for People Living with Type 1 Diabetes. Dr. Holly Witteman, Quebec established a robust team of individuals with lived and loved experience of T1D as well as digital health experts to create CommuniT1D. The program launched in summer 2025 and are currently recruiting participants that are being placed in small groups based on similar circumstances or needs. 

Updates on Community Grants
An incubator initiative designed to provide seed funding to organizations ready to transform innovative ideas into successful projects to support the mental health and wellness of the T1D community.

We held a virtual symposium for Community Grants in October 2025 where the leads shared their results and learnings to wrap up the 2023 grants.

Through their community grant support, the University of Montreal created videos in French with English subtitles about mental health and T1D, covering a range of important topics. These videos and more T1D specific mental health content are available on the Type 1 Better Support platform.

We also provided a top up grant to Connected in Motion, “Bridging the Gap: Mental Health Integration into Slipstream Programming,” wrapped up in February 2026, an extension and add on to the 2023 grant stream. With this support the organization built a new mental health hub: https://www.connectedinmotion.ca/mental-health-hub/, that expanded digital content and delivered mental health specific sessions at their virtual programming session. session.

The new Hub now brings together:

• Community-written blogs and reflections on topics like burnout, identity, relationships, aging, and emotional resilience
• Recorded virtual sessions exploring the mental side of living with type 1 diabetes
• Community-created tools and gentle visual resources that support everyday well-being
• Clear pathways to connect with others through events, groups, and additional supports

A 2026 funding opportunity has been announced and will be larger (up to $35,000 each) to allow for even more fulsome projects.

Expanded partnerships and community collaboration
Working with the community to provide outreach and further fill gaps in community resources and care

Breakthrough T1D was pleased to launch a new partnership with You’re Just My Type (YJMT to provide more peer support opportunities, both virtually and in-person.

This partnership will bring two in-person events and one virtual event throughout 2026 – May 30^th in Vancouver, Toronto in the autumn, and a virtual event later in the year. These will be YJMT’s first-ever Canadian events and will help to strengthen peer connection and community-driven mental health support for adults living with T1D.

This partnership reflects a shared commitment to meeting people where they are with relatable, accessible mental health resources.

We also continue to collaborate with Diabetes Canada on our Training Program and Directory, and thank them for their ongoing efforts to increase awareness and engagement of these initiatives.

Caregiver Support
Recognizing an unaddressed need for parent and caregiver support.

We have also released a new Caregiver Guide for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents living with T1D. Based on a guide produced by Breakthrough T1D Australia, and with input from Canadian mental health providers and people with lived experience of T1D, we are pleased to release the updated Canadian guide for our audience.

We had frequent feedback that caregiver support was a significant need for the T1D community, and the new guide acts as a practical, compassionate resource to support parents and caregivers of children and youth living with T1D.

The Caregiver Guide will be included in the Bag of Hope and Teen Care Kit in print and is also available online for download.

To further support T1D caregivers, we are planning virtual, interactive sessions for fall 2026. These facilitated sessions will aim to provide parents and caregivers of children and teens living with T1D with a supportive, interactive space to reflect on their experiences, build practical coping skills, and connect with others facing similar challenges.

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Thank you to our community

Breakthrough T1D Canada remains enormously grateful for the support of our Mental Health Advisory Council, lead volunteers and philanthropic partners, including funding partners Brain Canada and CIHR, without whom our progress in this area would not be possible.

For more information on mental health supports, please visit the Directory at directory.breakthroughT1D.ca or our mental health resources page.

To keep informed of upcoming events with YJMT and the caregiver support sessions, please ensure you’re on our mailing list or follow our social media channels:
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn

In March 2026, Breakthrough T1D Canada and You’re Just My Type (YJMT) announced a new partnership to build on lived experience support as part of the organization’s mental health and diabetes strategy. 

You’re Just My Type is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the mental health of people living with T1D through in-person events, resources, and community-building. 

The partnership with Breakthrough T1D will bring YJMT to Canadians, through free, in-person mental health events for adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D), taking place in Vancouver in May, in Toronto and an online event in November that will be available to anyone in Canada. 

Breakthrough T1D had the opportunity to speak with YJMT founder Laura Pavlakovich about what motivated her to start her nonprofit, and her hopes for the expansion into Canadian communities. 

Tell us a little bit about yourself 

I’ve lived with type 1 diabetes for nearly my entire life, and I’ve found that the mental toll can often be heavier than the physical. My background is in photojournalism, a path that took me all over the world and ignited my passion for storytelling and human connection. In 2016, I began combining these two worlds – photography and T1D – to share the stories of our community. That work eventually grew into You’re Just My Type, where we now focus on building mental-health-centered, peer-led spaces for those living with this condition. 

What made you start You’re Just My Type? 

You’re Just My Type grew out of realizing how much peer support and in-person community were missing in the Type 1 space. While the photo project began in 2016, it evolved into a formal organization in 2021 when I hosted our first in-person mental health event. 

I kept thinking about what I wished I had growing up; diabetes camp was a lifesaver, but it only existed for one week a year. I wanted that support to be a year-round reality. Since 2021, we’ve hosted over 50 free events across multiple cities. It became clear that people don’t just need better tools—they need each other. 

What makes you excited about the YJMT and Breakthrough T1D Canada partnership? 

We hear from people in Canada all the time asking if we’ll ever bring You’re Just My Type there, so this partnership feels incredibly meaningful. Breakthrough T1D Canada is such a trusted and respected organization, and we share a fundamental belief that caring for people with type 1 means caring for their mental health, too. Partnering together makes it possible to reach more people and begin building community in new places in a thoughtful, sustainable way. 

Why do you think it’s important for people to understand about mental health and Type 1 diabetes? 

Type 1 diabetes is a 24/7 mental experience, even when it looks “under control” from the outside. People often think Type 1 is easy because, as a community, we’ve learned how to make it look easy. 

What they don’t see is the constant decision-making, the math, the planning, the sleepless nights, and the complete exhaustion that comes with managing a chronic illness every single day. Mental health support isn’t an optional “extra” in diabetes care; it is essential. 

Any further message you want to share with the Canadian T1D community? 

You’re not alone in this, even if it feels that way sometimes. You deserve spaces where you can be honest, imperfect, and fully understood. We are so excited to bring You’re Just My Type’s community-based events to Canada and build something alongside you. You belong here. 

Learn more about You’re Just My Type at: https://www.yourejustmytype.org/ and further announcements about upcoming events by following Breakthrough T1D Canada on their social media channels. 

There is a saying that many of us have heard soon after boarding a flight: “put your oxygen mask on first, before helping others,” a safety instruction when you’re on an airplane that acts as a metaphor for self-care. Simply put, it means taking care of your physical and emotional well-being before attempting to help others. Because if you don’t look after yourself first, it becomes much harder to look after anyone else.

For parents and caregivers of children and youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) it can feel difficult to put your mask on first. After a diagnosis of T1D, the focus will inevitably be on your child first and getting them through that acute phase of fear and uncertainty, before learning to navigate your new normal as a family with T1D.

But it’s essential to also take care of your health and well-being, even during the period immediately following diagnosis. T1D is a lifelong disease that requires 24/7 management without time off and with no breaks, and it can be relentless. Continually being in a state of high alert without self-care can lead to chronic stress and caregiver burnout.

Published evidence tells us that anxiety, depression and distress are common among parents of children with T1D, especially among female caregivers, single parents, and those with lower income. Caregiving for a child with T1D can also disrupt sleep, employment and careers, which can all affect mental well-being. Moreover, caregiver mental health is closely linked to child outcomes and family functioning – meaning that family conflict and stress often point to more difficulty in diabetes self-management. But the good news is that caregiver mental health burden is not inevitable – it can be prevented or improved with the right help and support.  

Learning to recognize concerning effects on mental health and preventing them before they become serious is especially hard for parents of children with T1D, as they often feel their needs come secondary to those of their child’s.

“I felt overwhelmed by the complexity of managing the disease, along with a deep sadness for the carefree childhood I feared had been lost,” said Mina, a caregiver whose child was diagnosed at 10 years old.

Breakthrough T1D Canada heard from the community that there was a gap in caregiver support. Therefore, as part of its Mental Health Strategy, Breakthrough T1D Canada has launched a new Caregiver Guide to help address this underrepresented need.

Based on a guide produced by Breakthrough T1D Australia, and with input from Canadian mental health providers and people with lived experience of T1D, we are pleased to release the updated Canadian guide for our audience.

The Caregiver Guide is a thorough, chapter-based information guide that details the many different stages of caregiving, including:

• The immediate aftermath of diagnosis
• Transitional stages, (i.e. elementary school to middle school to high school)
• When your child asserts independence in their T1D management
• Impact on siblings
• Different types of stress
• Coping strategies
• When to seek professional support and help, and much more.

We hope that it will be a useful, compassionate resource to help parents and caregivers of children and youth living with T1D. 

“The T1D community became an extraordinary source of support on our journey. Connecting with other families, social workers, and accessing the resources available through Breakthrough T1D made an enormous difference for our family. Today, my son is doing wonderfully—happy, healthy, and thriving while managing T1D—and we remain deeply grateful for the community that helped us get here,” says Mina.

The Caregiver Guide will be included in the Bag of Hope and Teen Care Kit in print and is also available online for download.

In fall 2026, to complement the Caregiver Guide, Breakthrough T1D is planning free, virtual, facilitated caregiver support sessions. These sessions will aim to provide parents and caregivers of children and teens living with T1D with a supportive, interactive space to reflect on their experiences, build practical coping skills, and connect with others facing similar challenges.

They will aim to translate key themes from the Caregiver Guide into practical, real-world reflection and discussion, encourage parents to seek help when needed, and to foster connections to mental health and peer supports.

The sessions will be in both English and French, with time for a question-and-answer period.

Putting your oxygen mask on first isn’t always easy, but it’s crucial that caregivers also prioritize their own health and well-being in order to best support a child with T1D. And Breakthrough T1D is here with resources to help support parents and other caregivers in their own personal journeys with T1D.

“In the hardest moments, what helped me most was realizing I didn’t have to do this alone… Asking for support is not a weakness, but a vital part of this journey,” says Miriam, whose child was diagnosed age 13.

To download a Caregiver Guide please click here: https://breakthrought1d.ca/community-support/caregiver-guide/

To keep informed of upcoming caregiver support sessions, please ensure you’re on our mailing list or follow our social media channels.

For more information on mental health supports for people living with T1D, please visit the Directory at directory.breakthroughT1D.ca or our mental health resources page.