Canadian Diabetes Association

The Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) is an organization based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[1] Its mission is to lead the fight against diabetes mellitus by helping Canadians with diabetes live healthy lives while work is continued to find a cure. The Association performs their mission by:

Lead. Live. Cure is a strategic plan developed in 2012-2014 and it helps to achieve their mission. It was developed by both the constituents and external stakeholders of the Association.[2]

Lead- represents the core values they follow to fight against diabetes. The aim is to educate leaders and citizens as well as funding major research that may help to being the next medical breakthrough. Live- is basically a long term strategy which aims to help people with diabetes. It promotes healthy living. Provides everyone with the education and resources to reach the goals. It specifically deals with camps for children with type 1 diabetes. Cure- represent for old tradition of excellence and innovation. It helps to fund Canada’s most talented scientist in a quest to have a diabetes free world. Their aim is to always fund researches, and treatments which are trying to find a cure.

History

Insulin was first extracted by Frederick Banting who worked as a medical practitioner in London, Ontario during 1921. Initially, he discovered the treatment for diabetes by extracting insulin from a pancreas. It took him several months of experimentation until insulin was ready for human use. His partner with this research was Charles Best. On January 23 1922, there was a first successful test on a human patient who had diabetes. There were a lot of patients who suffered from diabetes, and who were available for treatment, in Canada. Thus, Dr. Best realized it was better to dedicate a whole organization towards treating the disease. In 1940’s, the Diabetic Association of Ontario was formed. Later on, a national level of organization was formed called the Canadian Diabetes Association in 1953.[3]

Founded in 1953, the Association is active in more than 150 Canadian communities. It offers programs and services to include advocacy and diabetes research, summer camps for children living with type 1 diabetes, public education, outreach to high-risk groups, Healthy Living Series[4] and symposia. Since 1975 and the establishment of the Charles H. Best Research Fund— named for insulin co-discoverer and Association co-founder Charles Best— the Association has awarded more than $100 million in grants to scientists who have dedicated their research to the fight against diabetes.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a fatal disease in which the body cannot produce insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it produces. Diabetes can lead to high levels of glucose in the blood since insulin is not present to control the amount of glucose in the body.[5] that can utterly damage the body's organs and nerves. Thus, the use of insulin is mandatory. [6]

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes Can also be referred as “ juvenile” diabetes, this type of diabetes is usually developed at a young age. Type 1 diabetes is a type of diabetes where beta cells of the pancreas are killed mistakenly by the immune system of the body. Glucose builds up in the blood instead of being used up as energy. The treatment for type 1 diabetes is always insulin to help keep the body at right glucose levels.[7]

Type 2 Diabetes Type 2 diabetes is when the body can’t use the insulin properly or if there isn’t enough insulin produced. About 90% of the people have type 2 diabetes. The treatment for type 2 diabetes is meal planning, physical activity and certain medication (insulin).[8]

Complications of Diabetes

The risks of having high blood glucose can be dangerous over time and may lead to complications of many other diseases. Some of the diseases caused can be life threatening such as; “heart disease, blindness, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage, heart attack, and lower limb amputation.” Diabetes related complications could be very serious thus managing blood glucose in the body is crucial.[9]

In order to help over "9 million Canadians" [10] that are living with diabetes there are organizations such as the Canadian Diabetes Association that strive to find more ways to develop a cure for diabetes and assist individuals and families through, camps, fundraisers, donations, as well as a clothesline for people in need. Every dollar donated to the (CDA) counts.

References

  1. ↑ "Where We Are". Canadian Diabetes Association. 2011. Retrieved May 3, 2011.
  2. ↑ Mission. (n.d.). Canadian Diabetes Association. Retrieved August 12, 2014, from http://www.diabetes.ca/about-cda/mission.
  3. ↑ Mission. (n.d.). Canadian Diabetes Association. Retrieved August 12, 2014, from http://www.diabetes.ca/about-cda/mission.
  4. ↑ "Healthy Living Series". Canadian Diabetes Association. 2011. Retrieved May 3, 2011.
  5. ↑ Merriam-Webster. Retrieved August 12, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diabetes.
  6. ↑ Mission. (n.d.). Canadian Diabetes Association. Retrieved August 12, 2014, from http://www.diabetes.ca/about-cda/mission.
  7. ↑ What is Type 1 Diabetes?. (n.d.). What is Type 1 Diabetes?. Retrieved August 12, 2014, from http://www.diabetesresearch.org/what-is-type-one-diabetes
  8. ↑ Mission. (n.d.). Canadian Diabetes Association. Retrieved August 12, 2014, from http://www.diabetes.ca/about-cda/mission.
  9. ↑ Complications of diabetes. (n.d.). International Diabetes Federation. Retrieved August 11, 2014, from http://www.idf.org/complications-diabetes
  10. ↑ About CDA. (n.d.). Canadian Diabetes Association. Retrieved August 12, 2014, from http://www.diabetes.ca/about-cda

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