By Russell Williams, Senior Vice President of Mission, Diabetes Canada
Since the discovery of insulin over 100 years ago, diabetes research has transformed people’s lives. New innovations and discoveries have revolutionized care and treatments to make managing diabetes easier, prevent diabetes-related complications and improve the quality of life for the more than four million people diagnosed with diabetes in Canada.
The critical importance of diabetes research to our country was underscored in its inclusion in the Framework for Diabetes in Canada, approved in 2022. As one of six core components, the framework recognizes the opportunities in research to advance efforts to address rising rates of diabetes.
Every three minutes, one person in Canada is diagnosed with diabetes and despite its prevalence, diabetes is still shrouded in silence, stigma and misinformation. Largely viewed as a lifestyle disease, type 2 diabetes is a complex condition influenced by biological, environmental, social, and other determinants of health. Age, income, education level, employment and working conditions, food security, early childhood development, social support and connectedness, the built environment, as well as access to the internet, diabetes supports, prevention, and care services—all influence the development of type 2 diabetes and highlight health inequities.
South Asian and Black communities have higher risks of developing type 2 diabetes and the legacy of colonialism in Canada also intersects with other factors to lead to high rates of diabetes in Indigenous communities. For instance, type 2 diabetes among Indigenous youth is the fastest growing pediatric chronic condition in the world—a reality that demands action.
We know investing in diabetes research can surface learnings about the condition that can lead to upstream benefits to our healthcare system. Researchers are prioritizing patient-centered approaches and integrating perspectives from lived experience to better understand how people with diabetes are experiencing health inequities. These findings are leading to deeper knowledge of type 2 diabetes, testing solutions in real communities, and driving real-world impacts. But while the importance of research in advancing knowledge and solutions for diabetes is clear, diabetes researchers are struggling to secure funding for their projects, especially in pace with rising costs.
For the 2023 End Diabetes Awards research competition, Diabetes Canada awarded over $6 million in funding to winning research projects, thanks to the generosity of donors. At the same time, several excellently rated submissions were unfunded due to insufficient funding -—each with the potential for critical discoveries in diabetes research that could both change and save lives.
Recently, Diabetes Canada launched a new six-year strategy to support innovative research in Canada. To deepen our commitment to diabetes researchers, we increased yearly funding for our End Diabetes Awards, and we’re establishing a new funding model to strive for bigger breakthroughs for people living with diabetes. Diabetes Canada is boldly aspiring to newly award $60 million by 2029 for research—but there’s more we can do for our country’s research sector with your support.
Diabetes Canada is a co-host of the Parliamentary Health Research Caucus Panel and Luncheon, Exploring the Future of Diabetes Treatment, Management and Prevention.
