Welcome!
CommuniT1D is a free program designed to foster social support and friendship among people in Canada whose lives are affected by type 1 diabetes (T1D)* because:
- they have T1D* themselves,
- they have one or more loved ones with T1D*, or
- all of the above.
CommuniT1D is a new program funded by Breakthrough T1D Canada (formerly JDRF Canada) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The team of experts creating the program is led by people who themselves have T1D or who are the parent of a child with T1D. Read about our team here.
CommuniT1D will match small groups of adults**:
- whose lives are affected by T1D,
- who want to connect with others in similar situations, and
- who are interested in participating in virtual meet-ups (like a Zoom meeting) for about an hour about once a month.
We want to match up small groups of people who can meet at the same time, speak the same language, have things in common, and will get along well.
Interested in trying it out? Help us find the right group for you!
We will ask you to answer some questions about yourself and how T1D affects you and/or those around you. Then, someone from CommuniT1D will contact you to offer you one or more groups you can join.
It’s always up to you whether you stay in a group or not. You can leave a group at any time and join one or more other groups. Our team will help find the right group so that you can get the support and friendship that is right for you.
Link to come when the study receives final approval from the research ethics committee.
*T1D is an autoimmune type of diabetes that happens when the immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. About 5-10% of people with diabetes have T1D. T1D often presents in childhood but can develop at any age. CommuniT1D welcomes people whose lives are affected by T1D or other rare, insulin-requiring types of diabetes that are typically grouped with T1D, including Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adults (LADA), some forms of Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY), and type 3c, which is a type of diabetes that occurs due to damage to the pancreas or having had the pancreas removed. People with these types of diabetes often start using insulin right away after diagnosis, or within 3 years of diagnosis at most. We are currently unable to offer groups for people with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes. If you are unsure if your type of diabetes fits, you can contact: info@communit1d.ca.
**In the future, we hope to expand to include teens and children. We may also offer in-person options.
