MedicAlert Gears Up to Protect South Asian Canadians
Toronto - September 30, 2009 – The Canadian MedicAlert Foundation is set to launch a special program for the South Asian community in October 2009 to mark the 20th World Diabetes Congress meeting.
According to Health Canada and the Canadian Diabetes Association, people of South Asian descent are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. (Health Canada, 2004; Canadian Diabetes Association, 2006).
In Canada, 9.3% of adults currently have diabetes and this figure is expected to rise to 11.1% by 2025. This represents more than 2.4 million Canadians are living with diabetes. In addition, more than 6 million Canadians have pre-diabetes, placing them at significant risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. (International Diabetes Federation, 2009)
Uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to numerous other medical complications including: heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. MedicAlert's mission is to provide protection for all Canadians with pre-existing medical conditions or allergies in emergencies, when every minute counts.
Deborah Legrove, Director of Marketing, Education and Advancement, cited that awareness of MedicAlert services and mission is severely under indexed in the South Asian community. "With a population of more than 1.2 million South Asians in Canada, our independent study identified less than ten thousand South Asians are protected with MedicAlert . When one in five Canadians have conditions that can cause instability, sudden symptoms, or have difficulty communicating, it is alarming that a significant number of our South Asian population does not currently benefit from the MedicAlert protection." commented Ms. Legrove.
In support of The World Diabetes Congress to be held in Montreal, Canada, on October 18-22, 2009, the Canadian MedicAlert Foundation is launching an awareness campaign for the South Asian community and to deliver on the promise to speak for all Canadians when they can't. MedicAlert is offering members of the South Asian community a two year membership for the price of one. An offer that provides the peace of mind to live and play without worry knowing that in an emergency, a patient's medical history is available in an instant - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Canadian MedicAlert Foundation is a registered charitable organization recognized in over 100 countries. The foundation offers an ongoing service and works with medical professionals to ensure that a patient's emergency medical information is readily available to assist in the best and most appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
More information on MedicAlert's special offer can be found at www.medicalert.ca/desi
More articles on medical conditions and ethnic groups (click below):- The Prevalence and Cost of Diabetes
- Canadian Diabetes Association 2008
- Ethnicity, Immigration and Diabetes
- Institute for Clinical Evaluation Sciences
- Ontario Survey on the Prevalence and Control of Hypertension
- CMAJ, May 20, 2008; 178 (11). doi:10.1503/cmaj.071340
- It's Your Health, Type 2 Diabetes
- Health Canada 2006
- Prevention and Management of Diabetes
- Sohal, Canadian Journal of Diabetes 2008;32(3):206-210
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About the Canadian MedicAlert Foundation
Operating nationally, MedicAlert is a member-based registered charity with more than one million Canadian members. The Canadian MedicAlert Foundation has been the provider of emergency medical information services in Canada for almost 50 years. The Foundation's services include electronic health records, a state-of-the-art secure database, a 24-hour emergency hotline and customized identification products that protect persons with chronic medical conditions or special medical needs. The foundation's web site can be accessed at www.medicalert.ca.
Media Contacts:
Michael ShreveDirector Systems & Supply Chain
Canadian MedicAlert Foundation
(416) 696-0142
E-mail: mshreve@medicalert.ca
