This November, we join Diabetes Canada in recognizing Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to raise understanding, share support, and encourage early detection for one of Canada’s most common chronic conditions.

More than 1 in 10 Canadian adults are living with diabetes, and those numbers continue to rise.

This year, Diabetes Canada is urging everyone to “Change the Conversation.” To move beyond blame and misinformation, and focus instead on compassion, education, and access to care.

At Pure Pharmacy, we share that goal. Wellness starts with understanding, and by replacing stigma with support, we can help more people live long, healthy, fulfilling lives.

Why it matters

• In Canada, more than 1 in 10 adults have been diagnosed with diabetes.
• Around 90–95% of those cases are type 2 diabetes.
• A striking 48% of Canadians believe diabetes is caused solely by eating too much sugar.
• Nearly 90% of people with type 1 and ~70% of people with type 2 report feeling blamed or ashamed because of their diagnosis.

What really needs to shift

• Diabetes isn’t just about diet. It’s shaped by genetics, access to care, environment, lifestyle and more.
• Language matters: saying “person living with diabetes” instead of “diabetic” helps move the conversation away from blame.
• Wellness isn’t only about numbers. Emotional health, stigma, and daily functioning all matter just as much.
• Access is uneven. Social, economic and cultural factors often determine who gets screened, supported and treated.

What this means for us at Pure Pharmacy

• We’re committed to zero-judgment care: our teams listen first, then advise.
• We share clear, practical info about early detection, lifestyle optimization, medication review and integrative support.
• We reflect inclusive language and diverse lived-experiences in our communications and patient-touchpoints.
• We collaborate across pharmacy, nutrition, integrative health, and allied professionals because one size doesn’t fit all.

Changing the conversation changes the outcome. When diabetes is treated as a full-life condition (not a moral failing) we unlock better engagement, better outcomes and healthier futures. At Pure Integrative Pharmacy, we’re here to walk that path with every person who comes through our doors. Find a location here.