Donation creates the Sun Life Financial
Child and Youth
Type 2 Diabetes Prevention
Initiative
TORONTO, Oct. 12, 2017 /CNW/ - Sun Life Financial Inc.
(TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) proudly announces the launch of the Sun Life
Financial Child and Youth Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Initiative,
funded by a $2 million commitment to
Canada's Children's Hospital
Foundations ("CCHF"). This first of its kind, national initiative,
harnesses the power of Canada's 13
pediatric hospitals to provide preventative strategies and promote
a healthier future for children at risk of developing type 2
diabetes.
"Awareness and education are the greatest tools we have to help
prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes," said Lisa Ritchie, Senior Vice-President & Chief
Marketing Officer, Sun Life Financial. "We are honoured to be able
to team up with Canada's
Children's Hospital Foundations and their network of esteemed
pediatric experts to make a positive impact in our communities and
continue our fight against the disease."
Since announcing a global commitment to diabetes in 2012, Sun
Life Financial's Team Up Against Diabetes
TM platform has focused support on diabetes
awareness, prevention, care and research. The partnership with CCHF
is a new initiative that will allow Sun Life Financial and the
hospital network to work together to positively influence children
and youth to live healthier lives with the goal of preventing type
2 diabetes.
Through the Sun Life Financial Child and Youth Type 2 Diabetes
Prevention Initiative, diabetes experts at children's hospitals
across Canada will create
educational resources to promote the prevention of type 2 diabetes.
These include:
- A toolkit for healthcare professionals to help address obesity
and its related risks in a sensitive and effective manner (handouts
and videos).
- A Resource Hub for families and healthcare professionals,
serving as a reliable source of consistent and approved healthy
living information.
- A Recipe Blog targeted at teens featuring healthy recipes.
- Food Skills and Facilitator's Guide focused on teaching
nutrition literacy to teens.
All 13 of CCHF's member hospitals will have access to these
resources to share with and educate the communities they serve,
raising awareness of the importance of type 2 diabetes prevention
in children.
"We are grateful to Sun Life Financial for this generous gift
and commend our newest corporate partner for helping to create a
national collaboration working to address this children's health
issue," said Mark Hierlihy,
President and CEO, CCHF. "The work that will result from this
partnership will help fill a gap by providing standardized and
consistent advice and tools for families."
The 13 member hospital foundations that comprise CCHF are:
Janeway Children's Hospital Foundation; IWK Foundation; CHU
Sainte-Justine Foundation; The Montreal Children's Hospital
Foundation; Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Foundation; SickKids
Foundation; McMaster Children's Hospital Foundation; Children's
Health Foundation; The Children's Hospital Foundation of
Manitoba; Jim Pattison Children's
Hospital Foundation; Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation;
Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation; and BC Children's Hospital
Foundation.
Sun Life Financial is focused on helping people achieve lifetime
financial security and live healthier lives, taking a holistic
approach to supporting the well-being of our Clients, Employees and
communities with the end goal of helping to achieve physical,
mental and financial resiliency both now and in the future. Sun
Life Financial has proudly committed more than $22 million in support of diabetes awareness,
prevention, care and research initiatives since announcing support
of the cause.
Sun Life Financial in the community
At Sun Life
Financial, we are committed to building sustainable, healthier
communities for life and we're proud to hold the Caring
Company designation from Imagine Canada. Community wellness is
an important part of our sustainability commitment and we believe
that by actively supporting the communities in which we live and
work, we can help build a positive environment for our Clients,
Employees, advisors and shareholders. Our philanthropic support
focuses on two key areas: health, with an emphasis on diabetes
awareness, prevention, care and research initiatives through our
Team Up Against DiabetesTM platform; and arts and
culture, through our award-winning Making the Arts
More Accessible TM program. We also
partner with sports properties in key markets to further our
commitment to healthy and active living. Our Employees and advisors
take great pride in volunteering over 40,000 hours each year and
contribute to making life brighter for individuals and families
across Canada. Read more about Sun
Life Financial in the community.
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New
York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the
ticker symbol SLF.
About Canada's Children's
Hospital Foundations (CCHF)
Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations
(CCHF), established in 2017, is a not-for-profit organization that
raises funds for a national network of hospital foundations as the
largest single, non-government funder of child health in
Canada. CCHF continues to receive
generous support through donors within Children's Miracle
Network® as well as contributions from new companies and
donors. Together, our donors help expand the impact through
Canada's children's hospitals from
coast to coast, which see the most critical cases, saving the lives
of sick and injured children. For more information, please
visit childrenshospitals.ca.
Note to Editors: All figures in Canadian
dollars.
Media Relations Contact:
Yasna
Criscione
Manager, Corporate
Communications
Sun Life
Financial
T:
416-204-8110
yasna.criscione@sunlife.com
Christina Deveau
Manager, Partner Experience
Canada's Children's Hospital
Foundations
T. 905-265-9750 x 226
SOURCE Sun Life Financial Canada