Endurance Athlete Sébastien Sasseville to Ride Across Canada in Support of JDRF’s Access For All Campaign
Dexcom and Tandem Diabetes Care support Canadian athlete Sébastien Sasseville in his 14-day cycling challenge across Canada to raise awareness for diabetes technology access. The endeavor aims to highlight disparities in access to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems across provinces. Recent announcements regarding public coverage of CGM systems in Quebec, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia reflect progress, yet inequalities persist. Sasseville uses the t:slim X2 insulin pump and Dexcom G6 CGM to manage his type 1 diabetes during the ride.
- Support for Sébastien Sasseville's cycling campaign highlights dedication to diabetes technology access.
- Recent provincial coverage announcements for CGM systems enhance access for type 1 diabetes patients in Canada.
- Access to diabetes technology remains unequal across different provinces in Canada.
- Coverage for insulin pumps and advanced glucose monitoring systems varies significantly by location and age.
Dexcom, Inc. and Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. are thrilled to announce their support of Sébastien Sasseville, a Canadian endurance athlete and person living with type 1 diabetes, as he attempts to cycle across Canada in 14 days. Launching in Vancouver at the end of June, Sébastien’s journey will require him to ride over 400 km a day to meet his goal.
Endurance Athlete Sébastien Sasseville to ride across Canada in support of JDRF’s #AccessforAll campaign (Photo: Business Wire)
“I think we can all do more than we think we can do and set big goals for ourselves. But the story doesn’t end there. I can bring the mindset, but as someone living with type 1 diabetes, I’m supported every minute by my medical devices,” said Sasseville. “There is technology that exists today that lessens the burden of diabetes management with a level of automation so that people like me can get better control with less effort.”
Management of type 1 diabetes is rigorous and requires frequent monitoring of glucose levels and insulin dosing – a formidable challenge faced by people with the autoimmune condition that is often unpredictable and changes every day. Sasseville uses the t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control-IQ technology, an advanced hybrid closed loop system integrated with the Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System.1 Control-IQ technology relies on glucose readings and trend information sent from the Dexcom G6 CGM System to predict glucose levels and automatically adjust insulin delivery.
This advanced integrated system is designed to help Sasseville keep his glucose levels in range without requiring stops to check his glucose levels using fingersticks.*
“Unfortunately, access to this technology depends on where you live in Canada,” said Sasseville. “The goal of my ride is to bring attention to this inequality, and support JDRF Canada’s Access for All campaign to make life-changing diabetes technologies affordable and accessible for everyone who lives with type 1 diabetes.”
The provincial governments of Quebec, Saskatchewan and British Columbia recently announced they will join Yukon in offering public coverage of CGM systems under provincial or territorial health plans. In addition, Prince Edward Island and Manitoba have also recently announced plans for funding based on their 2021 budget platforms.
“These are significant announcements impacting the more than 300,000 children and adults living with type 1 diabetes in Canada, but the coverage for both insulin pumps and for advanced glucose monitoring systems varies greatly depending on where you live in Canada, and even by age,” said Dave Prowten, President and CEO of JDRF Canada. “We applaud Sébastien’s desire to bring attention for the need for equitable access to life-changing technology for all Canadians living with type 1 diabetes, and we encourage people to support Access For All by sending a letter to their provincial or territorial representative at www.jdrf.ca/accessforall.”
“The diabetes community is amazing, and what Sébastien hopes to achieve inspires us all and reinforces our mission to give people the tools they need to simplify their diabetes management so they can live powerfully with diabetes,” said Laura Endres, Vice President and General Manager of Dexcom Canada. “We will all be following Sébastien’s journey across Canada and cheering him every pedal of the way!”
“We are thrilled to support Sébastien in pursuit of this goal, while raising awareness together,” said Brian Hansen, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Tandem Diabetes Care. “He is an inspiration for our relentless innovation of new technologies to improve the lives of people with diabetes.”
You can follow Sasseville’s journey at https://www.facebook.com/CanadaRuns. To learn more about the t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control IQ technology, go to https://www.tandemdiabetes.ca. To learn more about the Dexcom G6 CGM System, visit https://www.dexcom.com/en-CA.
About Dexcom, Inc.
Dexcom, Inc. empowers people to take control of diabetes through innovative continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems. Headquartered in San Diego, California in the United States, and with operations in Canada, Dexcom has emerged as a leader of diabetes care technology. By listening to the needs of users, caregivers and providers, Dexcom simplifies and improves diabetes management around the world. For more information about Dexcom CGM, visit www.dexcom.com.
About Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.
Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. (www.tandemdiabetes.com) is a medical device company dedicated to improving the lives of people with diabetes through relentless innovation and revolutionary customer experience. The Company takes an innovative, user-centric approach to the design, development, and commercialization of products for people with diabetes who use insulin. Tandem manufactures and sells the t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control-IQ technology. The t:slim X2 pump is capable of remote feature updates using a personal computer, and is the only automated insulin dosing device approved for children as young as six years old. Tandem is based in San Diego, California and Markham, Ontario.
*If your glucose alerts and readings from the G6 do not match symptoms or expectations, use a blood glucose meter to make diabetes treatment decisions.
1Dexcom G6 CGM sold separately
Important Safety Information:
The t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control-IQ technology (the System) consists of the t:slim X2 insulin pump, which contains Control-IQ technology, and a compatible continuous glucose monitor (CGM, sold separately). The t:slim X2 insulin pump is intended for the subcutaneous delivery of insulin, at set and variable rates, for the management of diabetes mellitus in people requiring insulin. The t:slim X2 insulin pump can be used solely for continuous insulin delivery and as part of the System. When used with a compatible CGM, the System can be used to automatically increase, decrease, and suspend delivery of basal insulin based on CGM sensor readings and predicted glucose values. The System can also deliver correction boluses when the glucose value is predicted to exceed a predefined threshold. The pump and the System are indicated for use in individuals six years of age and greater. The pump and the System are intended for single user use. The pump and the System are indicated for use with NovoRapid or Humalog U-100 insulin. The System is intended for the management of Type 1 diabetes.
WARNING: Control-IQ technology should not be used by anyone under the age of six years old. It should also not be used in patients who require less than 10 units of insulin per day or who weigh less than 25 kilograms.
The System is not indicated for use in pregnant women, people on dialysis, or critically ill users. Do not use the System if using hydroxyurea.
Users of the pump and the System must: be willing and able to use the insulin pump, CGM, and all other system components in accordance with their respective instructions for use; test blood glucose levels as recommended by their healthcare provider; demonstrate adequate carb-counting skills; maintain sufficient diabetes self-care skills; see healthcare provider(s) regularly; and have adequate vision and/or hearing to recognize all functions of the pump, including alerts, alarms, and reminders. The t:slim X2 pump and the CGM transmitter and sensor must be removed before MRI, CT, or diathermy treatment. Visit tandemdiabetes.com/safetyinfo for additional important safety information.
© 2021 Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. All rights reserved. Tandem Diabetes Care, t:slim X2, and Control-IQ are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
Dexcom and Dexcom G6 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Dexcom, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All third-party marks are the property of their respective owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210622005740/en/
FAQ
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