JDRF diabetes walk hosted Saturday in city

While May and June are just regular months to some, they could mean the world to people struggling with Type 1 diabetes.

This Saturday will see citizens from Lethbridge and surrounding areas going for a walk at Nicholas Sheran Park to raise money and awareness for the cause.

More than 40,000 people will partake in the fundraising across the country, with the JDRF’s goal to raise upwards of $5 million for diabetes research.

Dave Prowten, president and CEO of JDRF Canada, says with added research a cure may not be far away.

“In the last decade, there have been some incredible advancements in the areas of encapsulation, transplantation, stem cell therapies and artificial pancreas research that have helped us move even closer to a cure,” said Prowten, in a news release.

While JDRF is the global leader in funding for Type 1 diabetes, other organizations have started to take notice of the work being done.

“As the number of people impacted by diabetes continues to grow, it is tremendously important to invest in research in the hope of finding a cure,” says Paul Joliat, assistant vice-president, Philanthropy and Sponsorships, Sun Life Financial.

“It’s through partnerships like this that we can support the development of innovative diabetes health-care solutions, “said Joliat.

Since the first JDRF walk in 1994, the organization has gone on to raise over $135 million for T1D research. You can register online to participate at

jdrfwalk.ca, with this year’s walk kicking off at 11 a.m. Saturday.