Breakthrough T1D Blog

I was living in Winnipeg; I’ve spent my whole life here. I was diagnosed at the age of 6, spring of 1974, it was the May long weekend. I was not terribly sick but was showing signs: eating a lot, urinating a lot, etc. My mom had a doctor’s appointment and she brought me with […]

We lived in the Niagara region. My brother who is one year older than me was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at age 4, and one year later, I turned four and I was also diagnosed. It was devastating for my parents to have both kids with T1D. And it was devastating to me […]

I’ve lived in Toronto my entire life. I’m currently 60 years old, I was diagnosed in 1970, 53 years ago. I remember getting up in the middle of the night, needing juice because I was so thirsty, I was going to the washroom all the time. I remember being diagnosed, going to the hospital for […]

Dr. James Shapiro is a British-Canadian surgeon best known for leading the clinical team that developed the Edmonton Protocol – an islet transplant procedure for the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Dr. Shapiro is Professor of Surgery, Medicine, and Surgical Oncology at the University of Alberta and the Director of the Clinical Islet Transplant […]

Myrna Weiszner, one of the founders of the JDRF Winnipeg chapter and her daughter Tammy, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) 47 years ago talk about how living with T1D has changed over the years, and their involvement with JDRF.  Do you remember what it was like when Tammy was diagnosed?  Myrna – It was […]

Wednesday, March 8 is International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD asks us to imagine a world that knows gender equity. Globally, we are facing multiple crises that are putting immense pressure on communities, and so achieving gender equality is more vital than ever. Ensuring women’s and girls’ rights across all aspects of life is the only […]

Living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is 24/7. Every day you must make decisions around meals, exercise, rest and more. It is the only condition that requires a daily manual replacement of the function of an organ, which is done through administration of insulin. An often-overlooked aspect of living with T1D is how this can […]

My parents were one of the original families that brought JDRF to Canada. I was 13 years old in 1971 when my brother David was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and I was diagnosed at 15 years of age. My parents felt there wasn’t enough going on at the time regarding T1D research. It […]

An often under looked aspect of living with a chronic condition like type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the stigma that can accompany it. Generally, diabetes stigma can be defined as negative perceptions, judgment, discrimination, or a prejudice against someone because of their diabetes. The majority of T1D stigma derives from a lack of understanding of […]

People living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are more likely to experience mental health challenges compared to those without diabetes. This includes disordered eating and eating disorders: those with T1D are 3-4 times more likely to experience these conditions. Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorders, and insulin omission or restriction to lose weight, […]

Hi, I’m Joanna! Born and raised in Ottawa, I now call Toronto my home. I’m passionate about health and fitness, PR/communications, all things food, travel and family! When were you diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and can you share a little about what that was like? On March 16, 1998, I vividly remember looking down at […]

People who live with diabetes are at an increased risk of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and diabetes distress (the feelings of stress, guilt and being overwhelmed that can result from diabetes management). There are diverse mental health needs across the type 1 diabetes (T1D) community in Canada, and a common […]