Winnipeg, November 2, 2022 – Dynacare and Diabetes Canada are celebrating the fifth year of #Dynacare4Diabetes today with a campaign kick-off at the Manitoba legislature. The campaign will offer blood testing for diabetes to MLAs and their staff who are in higher risk categories in an effort to encourage Manitobans to learn if they are at risk of developing the serious disease.
The campaign is Manitoba’s largest diabetes wellness initiative. Dynacare is aiming to get 50,000 at-risk Manitobans to take the A1C test. Dynacare will also be making a 50-cent donation to Diabetes Canada for every test completed at a Dynacare location in Manitoba between November 1 to December 6, up to a total of $25,000.
“The incidence of diabetes continues to skyrocket in Manitoba, but there’s so much we can do to prevent it. Ideally, we’d like everyone who is at risk of diabetes to know the risk factors so they can take the appropriate steps to look after their health,” said Dr. Jenisa Naidoo, chief scientific officer for Dynacare. “A simple A1C test is a good start to understanding your own health status. From there, you can meet with your doctor to discuss care and treatment if it’s required.”
Coinciding with Diabetes Awareness Month in November, the initiative is meant to encourage Manitobans to know if they’re at risk and to speak to their doctors or get tested at any Dynacare location throughout the campaign period. This initiative comes at no cost to Manitoba Health as it is fully funded by Dynacare, including the cost of all A1C tests ordered.
Diabetes is a serious public health issue, with more than 400,000 Manitobans living with prediabetes or have yet to be diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Meanwhile some 11 per cent have confirmed cases of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Together, that’s 30 per cent of our population and these rates show no signs of levelling or decreasing, according to Diabetes Canada. Recognizing the significance of this issue, Dynacare and Diabetes Canada launched this campaign to spread awareness of the risk factors for diabetes and encourage Manitobans to get tested.
“There are excellent treatment options available, but the key to reversing Type 2 diabetes is early detection,” says Andrea Kwasnicki, Diabetes Canada’s regional director for Manitoba and Nunavut. “The danger comes if you ignore diabetes, because it can lead to extremely serious health complications such as blindness, amputations, reduced mobility and death.”
Dynacare and Diabetes Canada encourage Manitobans that have never been tested for diabetes to start the process by assessing their risk factors. If they have one or more risk factors, or are experiencing symptoms, they are encouraged to consult with their doctor and request an A1C test. The test can be taken free of charge during the campaign at any Dynacare location in Manitoba. 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.
This year, Dynacare is hosting mobile clinics in Winnipeg and Brandon during November. The goal is to provide access to testing for those most at-risk for this all-too-common disease, so they can be better informed about their health and, if necessary, get on a pathway to care. The mobile clinic schedule will be published on Dynacare.ca.
On World Diabetes Day, November 14, the campaign will feature a full day of diabetes-focused activities at the Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks General Hospital.
Please visit diabetes.ca/dynacare for more information about the campaign.
About Dynacare
Dynacare, a Labcorp company, is committed to being Canada’s health and wellness solutions leader. Quality care is at the heart of everything we do. We are continually developing innovative programs and services to positively impact the lives of Canadians and help healthcare providers deliver the best care possible. This includes our specialized testing, convenient home care services, and Dynacare Plus, an easy-to-use online portal where individuals can understand their lab test results and manage their health.
In addition to offering the largest and most advanced menu of diagnostic and screening tests in Canada, Dynacare supports physicians in making more confident diagnoses and clinical decisions. Dynacare Genetics and Specialty Services is shaping the future by bringing advances in medical laboratory testing and innovative services to clinicians and the healthcare industry. Through Dynacare Insurance Solutions we provide fast accurate medical evidence to the insurance industry, and we are helping improve the health and safety of employees through workplace testing and wellness programs with Dynacare Workplace. Please visit Dynacare.ca to learn how we can help you.
Additional media assets are available here.
For more information please contact:
Nicole Sherwood
(204) 996-8385
nicole.sherwood@dooleypr.com