Dynacare, a Labcorp subsidiary and one of Canada’s leading health and wellness solutions providers, and Diabetes Canada are teaming up once again this November on the #Dynacare4Diabetes campaign to raise awareness of the risk factors of type 2 diabetes and to provide accessible and free testing for people most at risk across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Diabetes is a serious public health issue. According to Diabetes Canada[1], more than 3.7 million people in Canada are currently living with type 2 diabetes. A more sobering statistic in Canada is that 1.7 million people are estimated to be living with type 2 diabetes without knowing it.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease that can be managed through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication. A diagnosis is the first step to the essential care that is needed to support a healthy, active lifestyle.
Dynacare4Diabetes urges people to act by first assessing their risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes with a quick online quiz. Individuals who are of African, Arab, Asian, Hispanic, Indigenous, or South-Asian descent are at a greater risk, and those with one or more risk factors or who are experiencing symptoms are encouraged to consult with their doctor about how to better assess their personal risk of developing diabetes, and how to monitor, prevent and treat the disease.
Dynacare will offer free A1C tests between Nov. 1 and Dec. 6, 2023, at Dynacare mobile community clinics and all Dynacare laboratory locations across the GTA. An A1C test is a blood test that measures average blood sugar levels over three months and is commonly used to diagnose and manage prediabetes and diabetes. Special mobile A1C testing clinics will be available in the following locations:
Tuesday, November 14, 2023, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Brampton City Hall,
2 Wellington Street West, Brampton, ON
Thursday, November 16th, 2023, 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Living Arts Centre – Diabetes Healthy City Expo, 4141 Living Arts Drive, Mississauga, ON
Saturday, November 18th, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Kingdom Life Ministries
1166 Cardiff Blvd., Mississauga, ON
Each mobile clinic will operate as a walk-in with no appointment required and a requisition will be provided upon arrival.
Dynacare will also make a donation to Diabetes Canada of 50 cents for every participant in the program, up to a total of $25,000. This is the third year the two organizations have partnered to organize this initiative in Ontario. During the 2022 campaign, Dynacare administered A1C tests to approximately 80,000 Ontarians.
“This is our third year bringing this life-changing initiative to the Greater Toronto region, and we’re extremely proud of what this campaign has accomplished,” says Vito Ciciretto, CEO of Dynacare. “Our mobile clinics aim to reach high-risk communities, which have historically faced less equitable access to healthcare. With each clinic visit, we want to break that cycle, giving individuals the support they need to achieve better personal health.”
Helping to spread the message to get tested is Canadian Olympic runner Khamica Bingham. Her videos and calls to action will be featured on Dynacare social media pages: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
For more information and a list of Dynacare lab locations, please visit Dynacare.ca.
-30-
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 health-care 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.
Approximately 4.1 million Canadians are living with type 1 and 2 diabetes. Type 1 accounts for 5-10% of all diabetes cases while type 2 accounts for the remaining 90-95%. This results in over 3.7 million people in Canada currently living with type 2 diabetes.
