Juvenile Diabetes

May 2009
 
Dear Constituents:
 
Several years ago I met a young constituent by the name of Rebecca Morrison and she explained to me how difficult it is for young Canadians living with Juvenile Diabetes.
 
Another local Barrie youth by the name of Sydney Grace made a book for me about what living with Juvenile Diabetes involves and how many Canadians are challenged by it every day.
 
Sydney and Rebecca have certainly made a strong case for why Canada can do more on the Juvenile Diabetes front.  Since my contact with them I have become very involved in raising awareness about Type 1 Diabetes on Parliament Hill.
 
Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. While the causes of this process are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. 
 
Type 1 Diabetes strikes children and adults suddenly leaving them dependent on injected or pumped insulin for life usually requiring approximately 1,460 needles a year (based on four per day) and 2,190 finger pokes a year to test blood sugar levels in order to adequately regulate blood sugar to avoid complications. 

Type 1 Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, adult blindness, stroke, heart disease, nerve damage and amputation and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. 

• More than 2.4 million Canadians have some form of diabetes.
• Over 240,000 Canadians live with Type 1 Diabetes.
• Canada has the sixth highest prevalence rate of Type 1 Diabetes in children 14 years or younger in the world.
• The incidence rate of Type 1 Diabetes is rising by three to five per cent in Canada – the greatest rise occurs in five to nine year olds.
• Diabetes currently affects 246 million people in the world and is expected to affect 380 million by 2025.
• Worldwide 70,000 children develop Type 1 Diabetes annually (almost 200 children a day).
• Globally every ten seconds a person dies from Diabetes related causes.
• According to the International Diabetes Federation, each year 3.8 million deaths are attributable to diabetes.  An even greater number die from cardiovascular disease made worse by Diabetes related lipid disorders and hypertension.

I believe without a doubt increased research can make incredible progress in finding a cure and hope Canada can become a leader in health research of Juvenile Diabetes.
 
If you are interested in supporting these efforts please volunteer with JDRF Canada at www.jdrf.ca
 
Best Wishes,
 
Patrick Brown MP Barrie
Chair of Juvenile Diabetes All Party Parliamentary Caucus