Did you know that 1.7 million Canadians are living with diabetes in 2024 and do not even know it? The problem is that too many people have the disease without any obvious warning signs or symptoms.
According to Diabetes Canada, nearly 30 per cent of Canadians are living with diabetes, prediabetes or have yet to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. That’s almost 12 million people, and that number is expected to increase by 25 per cent in next decade.
If you have a South Asian, African, Arab, Asian, Caribbean, Hispanic or Indigenous background, you are nearly two times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Similarly, those who are over 40, have a lower income or education, are physically inactive or are overweight or obese, or have high blood pressure and cholesterol levels are also at a higher risk.
Finding out if you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes is a critical first step. That’s why Dynacare and Diabetes Canada have teamed up to offer free diabetes awareness and testing clinics across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) during November’s Diabetes Awareness Month, as part of the #Dynacare4Diabetes campaign.
It’s important to pay attention to risk factors, get tested frequently and to secure an early diagnosis. The sooner you take action, the sooner you can stay well and avoid further complications such as heart disease, kidney damage, amputation or more severe outcomes from infectious respiratory diseases like the flu and COVID-19.
About The #Dynacare4Diabetes Wellness Initiative
The campaign’s goal is to raise awareness of risk factors for type 2 diabetes and to encourage GTA residents to get tested, particularly those most-at-risk.
From November 1 to December 6, 2024, Dynacare will offer free A1C tests at select Dynacare locations in the GTA and special mobile clinics. For every A1C test completed, Dynacare will make a 50-cent donation to Diabetes Canada, up to a total of $25,000.
This initiative comes at no cost to Ontario Health as it is fully funded by Dynacare, including the cost of all additional A1C tests ordered.
For individuals who have never been tested for diabetes, or are not sure if they are at risk, Dynacare and Diabetes Canada recommend starting the screening process by going to www.diabetes.ca and monitoring for symptoms of diabetes, such as excessive thirst, frequent urination, unintended weight change, blurred vision or tingling in hands or feet. Anyone over the age of 40 should be tested for diabetes every three years.
What Is an A1C Test?
An A1C test is a blood test that measures what percentage of the body’s hemoglobin — a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen — is coated with sugar. The higher a person’s A1C level, the poorer their blood sugar control and the higher their risk of experiencing complications from diabetes. The test may be done at any time, regardless of when the individual has last eaten and it reflects average blood sugar levels from the past two to three months.
A blood draw typically takes about five to 10 minutes, and Dynacare staff are professionally trained to ensure that patients are as comfortable as possible throughout the collection process. In most cases, it takes Dynacare 48 hours to analyze a patient’s sample and return the results to their doctor. Doctors who receive test results with blood sugar levels above the normal range typically contact their patients directly to arrange a consultation and discuss a treatment plan.
Where you can find #DynacareforDiabetes Special Clinics
Dynacare and Diabetes Canada encourage at-risk GTA residents to attend one of the following special informational and testing clinics:
· October 29, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, Hazel McCallion Central Library at 301 Burnamthorpe Rd. W., Mississauga
· November 3, 10:00 am – 2:30 pm, APC Ministries at 1920 Notion Rd., Pickering
· November 8, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Brampton City Hall at 2 Wellington Street West, Brampton
· November 27, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Brampton Islamic Centre at 6 Lowry Dr., Brampton
Participants of the mobile clinic events will also receive a free one-year subscription to Dynacare Plus, a mobile app and digital health platform, that allows users to track and trend test results over time. For more information, got to www.Dynacare.ca/dynacare4diabetes.
