November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and Diabetes Canada is encouraging Canadians to learn more about the disease and help put an end to the stigma surrounding it.
President & CEO, Laura Syron tells us what diabetes is.
Syron says one of the biggest problems people living with diabetes face is the amount of misinformation surrounding the disease.
Instead, diabetes is a complex condition that can have many causes.
Syron says these misunderstandings can lead to people living with diabetes feeling blamed or judged. A survey by the organization found that 90 per cent of people with Type 1 diabetes and nearly 70 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes have experienced blame or shame because of their condition.
She says that stigma can have serious effects. People who feel judged may be less likely to seek medical support, which can make managing their diabetes more difficult and increase the risk of complications.
She encourages people to ask questions and listen instead of offering advice or making assumptions about someone’s condition.
Syron says diabetes affects everyone differently, even when they have the same type. What works for one person may not work for another, so there is no single approach to managing the disease.
She also points out that there is currently no cure for diabetes.
There is also a strong connection between diabetes and Southwestern Ontario. London is known as the birthplace of insulin after Dr. Frederick Banting developed the idea that led to its discovery.
Banting believed every diabetic should have access to insulin, no matter their situation.
Diabetes Canada now owns Banting House in London, where visitors can learn about the history of insulin and see the Flame of Hope.
Diabetes Canada offers information, recipes, online programs and other support for people living with diabetes. It also has resources for family members and friends who want to better understand the condition and become supportive allies.
Those resources can be found at diabetes.ca.
Syrons message this Diabetes Awareness Month is simple: learn more about diabetes, watch the language you use and help stop the stigma, one conversation at a time.