Message From The Chair

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF HOPE!
Dear Family and Friends,
As we mark the Foundation’s 25th year, I look back at where we started and where we are today.
To think it all began with a simple golf tournament back in 1997 with the goal of raising funds to enhance Camp Huronda’s facilities and support newly diagnosed youth to experience this magical camp.
In 1999, the Foundation began its signature Scholarship Program to not only provide much needed financial and emotional support, but to recognize and celebrate the resiliency and leadership of our kids.
It all started by awarding 4 students with scholarships to support their transition to post-secondary education and to date we have awarded an astounding 900 scholarships. Through our community health programs we continue to serve hundreds of families across Canada who are living with diabetes.
Diabetes Hope Foundation addresses the needs of today’s youth living with diabetes by delivering these programs through a unique holistic model of care; by providing peer support, diabetes education and financial assistance to youth who are about to or are undergoing the transition into young adulthood and post-secondary education.
Recognizing that mental health and wellbeing are an important part of good diabetes management, we are excited to be able to continue building on the work we have done by creating sustainable programs and resources to support our youth.
Over the next few years, we will be working to take our HOPE Connects Peer Mentorship program to campuses across the country, as well as build an online community of support for youth as they transition into adulthood.
It takes a village to accomplish what we have, and we could not have done it alone.
Many thanks to our Board of Directors, Scholarship Advisory Committee, volunteers, donors, clinicians and the amazing alumni who have given so much of themselves to share and facilitate our programs.
We are excited for the next 25 years, as the DHF Community of Hope continues to grow, and as today’s scholarship winners become role models for future youth.
The strength and success of our Foundation comes from its people… together we share a vision and together we are making a difference!
Thank you for helping us help our kids.
Barbara Pasternak M.S.M.
Barbara Pasternak
Founder & Chair
Diabetes Hope Foundation