Core to our mission at Breakthrough T1D Canada is advocating to governments for equitable access to quality health care, medications and supplies, and for funding to search for cures.
Advocating for cures. Advancing access. Amplifying lived experience.
At Breakthrough T1D Canada, advocacy is how progress happens. When government decision‑makers hear directly from people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), policies improve, and momentum toward cures accelerates.
That’s why every other year we bring the T1D community to Parliament Hill.
What is T1D on the Hill?
T1D on the Hill brings people living with type 1 diabetes from across Canada together with Members of Parliament and Senators to share personal stories and call for federal leadership on research, innovation, and access to care.
Through one‑on‑one meetings with parliamentarians, delegates help turn lived experience into action, shaping decisions that affect research investment, access to breakthrough therapies, and health outcomes for Canadians with T1D.
T1D on the Hill 2026
Between May 3-5, 2026, dozens of people affected by T1D will gather in Ottawa along with Breakthrough T1D staff and volunteers to meet with parliamentarians. Together, they will urge Parliament to stand with us as we ramp up our efforts to find cures for T1D and make them available to everyone who would benefit from them and support Breakthrough T1D’s prebudget submission requesting funding for the Breakthrough T1D Network for Canada.
Why this matters now
Canada is at a pivotal moment in regenerative medicine. Cell and gene therapies are moving from discovery and the lab into real-world clinical use, offering the potential for transformative treatments.
To ensure Canadians benefit, Canada must be ready to lead in the development and delivery of these therapies, retain the economic and science benefits here at home and – most importantly – ensure equitable access for people who would benefit from them.
What we’re asking of the federal government
To ensure this opportunity is not missed, Breakthrough T1D Canada has called on the federal government to partner on and support the Breakthrough T1D Network for Canada (BTNC). BTNC is a national effort designed to accelerate the pace of and path to real, lasting treatments for T1D.
Read the pre-budget submission here
Meet our delegates
Our delegates include people living with T1D, parents, and caregivers who bring diverse perspectives from every region of the country.
The 2026 delegates include:
| Name | Province/Territory |
|---|---|
| Meela Cherepuschak | Saskatchewan |
| Sophia Grace Hirschfield |
Saskatchewan |
| Liam Ford Coffin | Prince Edward Island |
| Annette Proctor | Prince Edward Island |
| Aaliyah Cook | Nova Scotia |
| Fiona Gilfillan | Ontario |
| Harleigh Mailo | Alberta |
| Samantha Henderson | Alberta |
| Emily Kralisch‑Seguin | Yukon |
| Molly Hayward | Nunavut |
| Jessica Aubin | Québec |
| Hassan Abbas Ahmed | Québec |
| Luke Hill | British Columbia |
| Brittany Campbell | British Columbia |
| Lana Mihell | British Columbia |
| Anna McKague Frost | Manitoba |
| Maryam Dabbarh | New Brunswick |
| Jake Thompson | Newfoundland and Labrador |
| John Whitehead | Ontario |
| Katharine Mackett | Ontario |
| Logan France | Ontario |
| Finn Davis Oxner | Ontario |
| Emma Duke‑Vander Voet |
Ontario |
| Zainab Zakaria | Ontario |
| Kat Spargalo | Ontario |
| Mohi Kambo | Ontario |
| Stephanie Atkinson | Québec |
| Emily Gervais | Alberta |
Be part of the change
You don’t have to be on Parliament Hill to make a difference.
Join our network of passionate volunteer advocates and help ensure T1D stays on the federal agenda.
Sign up to become an advocate here