Initiatives in BC
Diabetes Canada estimated that there were 31,356 British Columbians living with T1D in 2013. Statistics Canada pegged the 2013 population of BC as 4,589,000.
This means that 1 in 147 British Columbians live with T1D. Surprising, isn't it?
Diabetes Canada also estimated that there will be 35,522 British Columbians living with T1D by 2020. We're well on our way to averaging 400+ people with T1D in BC's 87 provincial electoral districts (ridings).
If an electoral district has 400 people living with T1D, we could have 2-3 people visit their MLA every day their MLA is in their local office—for a year!
Advocacy priorities for British Columbia include:
- extending pump coverage to ages 26 and up
- getting Pharmacare to cover:
- Fiasp
- continuous glucose monitoring
- ketone urine or blood test strips
- lancets
- having access to free sharps containers
At this time, Type 1 Together is working on extending pump coverage to ages 26 and up.