Toronto, ON – March 30, 2022 – James and Louise Temerty have made a transformational $10 million commitment to help fund JDRF’s efforts to find a cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D). The family’s investment through Temerty Foundation is the largest single gift ever made to T1D research in Canada. This extraordinary donation comes 100 years after Banting and Best saved millions of lives with the discovery of insulin, celebrated as Canada’s gift to the world.

“We were at a loss for words to express our gratitude and jubilation when Temerty Foundation made their commitment to JDRF,” says JDRF President & CEO Dave Prowten. “The hope this gift will provide to our type 1 diabetes community is priceless. The Temerty’s incredible donation will accelerate the pace of research and will help inspire and rally Canadians around our bold vision of a world without this relentless disease.”

James and Louise Temerty are selfless philanthropic leaders and longtime supporters of a wide range of causes that improve lives in Canada and worldwide. Their foothold in the healthcare space is especially vast – the Temerty name is synonymous with championing medical research in Canada. And any discovery made in Canada has the potential to benefit people living with T1D around the world.

The Temerty family wants to inspire others to step forward, so they are giving this gift as a challenge – matching all gifts up to $10 million until May 31, 2022, to JDRF’s $100M Campaign to Accelerate and the Let’s Make History Again event. In just 20 months, JDRF’s campaign has reached 50% of its goal to accelerate the pace of T1D research.

To launch this Campaign publicly, JDRF is doing something bold and making history. Five brave people impacted by T1D will live atop 40-foot flagpoles for 100 hours in Vancouver, Calgary, two locations in Toronto, and Montreal from April 4 to 8, 2022. Joining them in solidarity are 100 families and individuals camping out across the country.

When James and Louise heard about Let’s Make History Again’s goal of celebrating exceptional Canadian discovery and rallying the country to make a bold impact, they were compelled not only to give, but to up the ante with a matching challenge.

“We hope our gift will spark further investments in this important research, which builds upon the great Canadian discoveries of insulin, islet transplants and stem cells to find a cure for type 1 diabetes,” says James Temerty.

T1D is an autoimmune condition where the beta cells in the pancreas responsible for producing insulin are destroyed. It is a chronic disease that requires constant management. Insulin can only be administered externally, and every day is a balancing act of blood glucose levels, nutrition, rest and activity to try and stave off diabetes-related complications that can include blindness, kidney disease, coma and even potentially death. But there is hope. We are in a unique period of scientific progress in T1D, a renaissance where promising science is advancing at an unprecedented pace. James and Louise Temerty are leading a philanthropic movement to mark this historic moment and leverage the speed of research.

“History and experience have shown us that success requires a bold vision and relentless perseverance,” says Louise Temerty. “Our hope through this gift is that JDRF harnesses the determination of Canadians to drive life-changing breakthroughs in type 1 diabetes research. We encourage people across the country to join us by giving in whatever means they can to support the next great discovery in diabetes.”

Now is the time to double down to move us beyond insulin. We must build on Canada’s deep legacy of discovery, passion, and philanthropy by investing in the Canadian scientists leading the way to a cure. JDRF and Temerty Foundation invite Canadians to double the impact of their gifts by joining us in making history again. Learn more at canadacuresdiabetes.ca.

About JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $3 billion CAD in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, governments, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout Canada and six international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.ca.

About Temerty Foundation

Since 1997, Temerty Foundation has provided significant philanthropic support to health care, education and culture in Toronto and beyond. In 2021, Maclean’s listed James and Louise Temerty as “the first name in medical philanthropy” in Canada, which honours their extraordinary investments in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, to name a few. The Temertys also support the Royal Ontario Museum, the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and many Ukrainian programs such as Help Us Help, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and the Ukrainian World Congress. James founded the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter (UJE) to contribute to greater Ukrainian-Jewish understanding and mutual respect. Having grown up in Ukraine and with deep roots in his home country, James currently supports the Unite with Ukraine campaign through the Ukrainian World Congress, which funds protective equipment and medical supplies for volunteer fighters. Both James and Louise are recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for service to their community, and James received the Order of Canada in 2008.