
Throughout June, thousands of supporters in nearly 50 communities gathered across the country to raise funds for type 1 diabetes (T1D) research.
Breakthrough T1D Walk (formerly the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes) is the largest fundraising event in Canada that unites the T1D community who are dedicated to making every day better for the estimated 300,000 Canadians living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), as we drive toward curing this disease. Breakthrough T1D Walk has raised more than $143 million to date in its over 30-year history, making it one of the longest running and most successful fundraising events in the country.
The collective fundraising goal is $3.2 million that will help support Breakthrough T1D Canada’s mission to find cures for T1D, and to date more than $2.5 M has already been raised through 1312 teams, 9112 participants and 17807 donations!
Additional Walks took place in May with several communities still planning Walks in the Fall, including schools participating as part of our Breakthrough T1D School Walk Program, where schools across the country can host Walks supported by their students and teachers throughout the year.
This year has truly been a national effort with Walks taking place in every province, from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island, and even with Walk Your Way events happening in Yukon and Nunavut.















The Walk is so much more than just a fundraiser. It’s a chance for families living with T1D to meet, share their stories, and gain support from each other. Many Walks had a tent for newly-diagnosed families, manned by volunteers who have lived through a T1D diagnosis and were available to offer support, resources, and encouragement.
There were exciting kids’ games, activities from our corporate sponsors, Star Wars characters, amazing custom-made Team t-shirts, face-painting, and so much more! Each Walk location had their own unique offerings to make the day one to remember for all the participants.
At the Breakthrough T1D Walk in Toronto, we were once again joined by Breakthrough T1D ambassador Max Domi. Max met with families, took hundreds of selfies with fans, signed countless autographs and shared a bit of his T1D story from the stage, especially noting the role his parents played (who were both in attendance) in helping him learn to manage his T1D and help smooth his path to the NHL. As always, Max was generous, welcoming and brought hope and inspiration to attendees, particularly our newly-diagnosed families.
We want to thank our Walk Ambassadors who are helping to break the stigma of living with T1D, paving the way for a new generation of younger people living with T1D who are fiercely proud and committed to making life better today while we work towards a tomorrow free from T1D. They are so inspiring, and we thank each of them for their efforts and enthusiasm.
Thank you as well to our corporate partners, whose support helps us to build a special day of community spirit, along with important resources for T1D families, particularly those new to T1D.
Thank you to our amazing and tireless Breakthrough T1D Volunteer Committees and our staff who spend months working to ensure that the Walks run smoothly and that our participants have the best possible experience.
Our Breakthrough T1D Walks simply couldn’t happen without our incredible Walkers, volunteers, donors, vendors, and our local, regional, and national partners. Truly, we can’t do it without you.
