Highlights & Timeline

Celebrating 25 Years of HOPE

ACHIEVEMENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

Over the past 25 years, DHF has invested in community programs that support youth living with type 1 diabetes across Canada in the following ways:
  • Supported over 6,000 families of children and youth living with diabetes.
  • Awarded 900 scholarships to transitioning young adults living with diabetes in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.
  • Partnered with over 70 pediatric diabetes healthcare centres in 7 provinces to develop community health programs and improve access to diabetes care.
  • Created an alumni network of 550 mentors and mentees across 42 post-secondary institutions in Canada.
  • Funded health benefits and supplies for over 300 families in Canada through the Medical Assistance Program (MAP).
  • Sponsored 166 at-risk children and youth living with diabetes to attend Summer Sports Camps at York University, 233 teens to attend our At-Risk Youth Retreats, and 212 at-risk First Nations teens to attend the “Living the Good Life” Aboriginal Youth Retreats.
  • Developed a Transition Resource guide, a supplemental recipe guide and an Online Transition Guide to support transitioning teens across the country. Recommended by the Ministry of Health’s Ontario Pediatric Diabetes Network, the guide provides secondary students with information about their rights/benefits as a student with diabetes.
  • Developed and delivered over 20 Parent & Teen Pre-Transition Workshops/Webinars to support 585 transitioning teens and their families in Mississauga, Ottawa, Markham, Hamilton, London and Windsor.
  • Collaborated with 28 diabetes and mental health access centres, as well as DHF Alumni, to develop a new Peer Support model to support youth living with diabetes.
  • Successfully delivered 24 Wellness Webinars in 2020/2021 aimed at providing support to the diabetes community during the COVID pandemic, reaching over 30,000 viewers.
  • Developed and delivered a series of  “Let’s Talk About It” Parents speaking to Parents webinars in partnership with diabetes clinics in Ontario, for parents to share their experience with other parents of T1D Youth.
  • Partnered with 6 University Diabetes Clubs to develop and deliver workshops focused on raising awareness about T1D and it’s impact on social and emotional well-being on campuses across Ontario.
A glance through our

TIMELINE

2023

Continuing our focus on mental health, we collaborated with six campus diabetes clubs to host our Don’t Sugar Coat It webinars, educating post-secondary communities about T1D and the importance of emotional and social support. Our Transition Guide launched as a new online tool, increasing access to college and university information for students and their families across Canada.  We are excited to be starting a three-year partnership with the Aubrey & Marla Dan Foundation to expand our HOPE Connects Peer Mentorship program across Ontario, including the addition of an online support forum to continue addressing the mental health needs of youth through their transition.
Image: Erin Mercer (Alumni), Pencil Empire Studio, 2023
Highlights and timeline, DHF illustration, Erin Mercer 2023

2022

Our focus on “Mental Health” and providing support not only for transitioning teens but for their parents and families too, led to the development and delivery of our new “Let’s Talk About It”, Parents speaking to Parents webinars.
Timeline, parent to parent webinars

2020-20021

When Covid-19 hit, DHF responded by quickly and effectively transitioning to a digital world. Wellness Wednesday Webinars were developed and presented virtually and have drawn record audiences over 30,000 viewer throughout the year.
Timeline 2020

2018-2019

Launched Peer Support and HOPE Connects programs to support transitioning teens.
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2016-2017

Developed Peer Mental Health Framework and pilot for Peer Support Program for Type 1 teens.
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2015

Adapted guide into Parent & Teen workshops and webinars.
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2014

Developed Guide for Successful Transition to College and University.
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2012

Partnered with Six Nations Health Services to develop the Aboriginal Diabetes Youth Retreat Program.
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2011

Piloted the Alumni Mentorship Program in 2011 to support youth-in-transition.
About, About Diabetes Hope Foundation

2010

Launched the At-Risk Youth Diabetes Retreat partnership with Tim Horton Children’s Foundation.
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2006

Sponsored 179 children to attend the Diabetes Summer Sports Camp in partnership with York University.
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2004

Supported over 200 families through the Medical Assistance and Diabetes Start-Up Kit Program.
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1999

DHF Scholarship Program launched in Ontario.
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DHF Becomes Registered Charity

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