2002-April-19

To Life! was developed with funding from the Canadian Diabetes Strategy through the Population and Public Health Branch of Health Canada, and in cooperation with Manitoba Health.

“The Canadian Diabetes Association supports people affected by diabetes,” said Sandy Kostyniuk, Regional Director for the Manitoba Division of the Canadian Diabetes Association. “But providing support to people who already have diabetes isn’t enough – we want to help people reduce their risk factors for type 2 diabetes.”

Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions around the globe. This year in Canada, nearly 60,000 people will be diagnosed – enough to fill 1,500 city buses. Currently in Manitoba, more than 55,000 people have been diagnosed with diabetes. It is believed that many more people go undiagnosed and untreated. What many people do not realize is that diabetes can have serious consequences, including blindness, limb amputation, kidney failure, stroke, and heart disease.

“Health Canada, through the Canadian Diabetes Strategy, is thrilled to be launching this imaginative program that continues the great tradition of Manitoba initiatives in health,” said Scott Broughton, Assistant Deputy Minister of Health Canada’s Population and Public Health Branch. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Canadian Diabetes Association and the Youville Centre on this initiative, and are pleased as well to be working with Manitoba Health on reducing the incidence of type 2 diabetes.”

To Life! is not an exercise or nutrition program: it’s a program that helps people make simple adjustments in lifestyle to improve their long-term health. The key to the program is that it promotes the buddy system as the means to maintain commitment to healthy active living.

“The program promotes the concept that small changes can have long-term results, and To Life! shows us just how easy it is to make these changes in our daily routines,” said Nancy Allan, St. Vital M.L.A. on behalf of Health Minister Dave Chomiak. “To Life! responds to one of the key recommendations of Diabetes: A Manitoba Strategy developed by the province with input from over 1,000 Manitobans.”

The program creatively promotes healthy active living through a buddy system where people become each other’s SuperFan. When buddies register for the program, they commit to encouraging each other to make healthier choices for three months – and potentially longer if they renew their registration. The full program is one-year in length.

“The purpose of To Life! is to help Manitobans buddy together to improve their health,” said Sylvia Oosterveen, the Youville Centre’s Executive Director. “Making changes in life – even simple ones – is a lot easier if there’s someone in your corner rooting for you. The SuperFan concept brings this kind of support system to life.”

The program is being launched on April 17, 2002 at 10:30 a.m. at the Convention Centre, 375 York Avenue. Media and the public are invited to join us in celebrating To Life! and the first-ever gathering of Manitoba’s To Life! SuperFans.