Driving Type 1 Diabetes Awareness and Action During Diabetes Awareness Month 2025

November 2025, recognized as Diabetes Awareness Month, marked a milestone for the Canadian Population Screening for Risk of Type 1 Diabetes (CanScreen T1D) research consortium. This month highlighted significant progress and reaffirmed the team’s commitment to advancing research and improving early risk screening for type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Despoina Manousaki at the ISPAD Conference 2025

At the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) Conference, Despoina Manousaki represented CanScreen T1D on the global stage. She delivered an oral presentation on developing and validating a trans-ancestry polygenic risk score for T1D and joined an international panel sharing insights from screening programs in the UK, US, Italy, and Canada. In addition, she chaired the joint ISPAD-Breakthrough T1D symposium, which featured updates on stage 2-4 T1D trials and Breakthrough T1D’s strategy to advance secondary and tertiary prevention.

Celine Chen at the ISPAD Conference 2025

In addition, Peter Senior contributed as a panelist at an immersive educational event with Breakthrough T1D, sharing insights on personal journeys and emerging therapies for T1D. Meanwhile, Celine Chen’s poster on developing a core outcome set for T1D risk screening was awarded Best Poster in her session, drawing positive feedback and sparking interest in applying this framework to other screening programs. These achievements underscore CanScreen T1D’s leadership in shaping the future of risk screening and advancing patient-centered research in Canada.

On November 25th, our CanScreen T1D team also met in person at the Hospital for Sick Children for the CIHR-Breakthrough T1D midterm meeting, where project leads presented updates and engaged in Q&A sessions on their individual initiatives. Beyond regular project activities, discussions covered family perspectives and potential collaboration with the CommuniT1D peer support program to provide peer and psychosocial support for individuals identified as being at higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Discussions also included the “7 Principles of Ethical Engagement with Indigenous Communities” infographic, and findings from a needs assessment on Canada’s capacity to provide clinical care for individuals at risk or newly diagnosed with T1D. Guest speakers from TARGet Kids! and Pediatric Emergency Research Canada shared strategies for recruiting children from the general population ahead of our pilot screening program launching in 2026. Additional sessions featured experts from Health Data Research Network Canada, the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba, and CIHR, focusing on data and biosample governance, critical components for ethical and effective research.

Communit1D, A Free Canadian Peer Support Program Connecting and Empowering the Type 1 Diabetes Community

On the following day, the CanScreen T1D Indigenous Advisory Circle, led by project leads Sasha Delorme and Jon McGavock, gathered in downtown Toronto for a full-day meeting to reflect on the past year and plan for the future. The session included meaningful discussions on their sacred agreement, community needs assessment design, educational material feedback, and Indigenous data sovereignty. The day began with a shared breakfast, prayer, and smudging ceremony – honouring traditions that foster respect and open dialogue. Face-to-face interaction strengthened trust and allowed members to connect with two key allies in this work, Lushi Aumeer (Knowledge Mobilization and Communications Lead) and Tayler Brown (Community Engagement and EDI/SGBA+ Lead). The team also embraced reciprocity by offering members the opportunity to attend the Diabetes Canada/CSEM Professional Conference, an experience that proved transformative for one participant and brought forward the importance of including patient partners in learning opportunities. These gatherings not only advance project goals but also reinforce cultural values of trust, sharing, and mutual growth.

CanScreen T1D Symposium Attendees at the Diabetes Canada/CSEM Professional Conference 2025

On the same day, CanScreen T1D hosted a symposium on T1D risk screening at the Diabetes Canada/CSEM Professional Conference, led by our Executive Committee. The session aimed to raise awareness among healthcare professionals about the importance of screening for preclinical T1D and its role in preventing diabetic ketoacidosis. Attendees explored current and emerging disease-modifying therapies, heard patient and family perspectives on screening acceptability and educational needs, and learned how diabetes care providers can support and contribute to screening initiatives. The symposium also featured interactive discussions, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among participants.

At the Diabetes Canada/CSEM Professional Conference, our team also presented the following research posters:

• Sasha Delorme: “Indigenous-Informed Research Foundations: Anti-Racism, Data Sovereignty, and Community Engagement in Type 1 Diabetes Risk Screening”
• Celine Chen: “A Rapid Review of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Type 1 Diabetes Risk Screening Studies: Informing the Development of a Core Outcome Set”
• Noémie Desgagnés (on behalf of CanScreen T1D’s genetic risk score project team): “Creation of a Canadian T1D Genetic Data Repository to Validate a Trans-Ancestry Genetic Risk Score”

Sasha shared her passion for decolonizing research, stressing the need to bridge traditional and Western approaches rather than framing them as opposites. She reflected on how in-person gatherings strengthen relationships and trust, values deeply rooted in Indigenous culture, and called for greater inclusion of patient partners in research, noting that even one comment can spark lasting change. “These sessions matter because they bring together the old ways and the new, and each holds its merits,” she commented. These presentations and conversations reinforced CanScreen T1D’s commitment collaborative approaches that shape the future of diabetes care in Canada.

Sasha Delorme and Jonathan McGavock at the Diabetes Canada/CSEM Professional Conference 2025

These milestones reflect the hard work behind our initiatives and the collaborative spirit driving them forward. As we look ahead to the new year, we remain committed to building on this momentum and continuing our efforts to advance early detection of T1D risk and promote equitable care for all communities.