Diabetes Health Day Brings Comprehensive Support to the Chinese Community in Markham

Markham, ON — November 22, 2025

A community hall in Markham was unusually lively on Saturday as hundreds of residents gathered for a day dedicated to understanding—and living with—diabetes. Supported by the Ontario government, the event was organised by the Chinese New Immigrant Wellness (CNIW) in partnership with more than ten medical and community groups, including the Kidney Foundation, Mon Sheong Foundation, Abbott, and several Chinese professional associations.

Ontario MPPs Billy Pang and Vincent Ke attended the event, while congratulatory messages were sent by Ontario’s Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, Raymond Cho, and Markham–Thornhill MPP Logan Kanapathi.

A Day of Practical Knowledge, Delivered with Warmth

Rather than formal lectures, the seven sessions offered throughout the day felt closer to conversations—direct, relatable, and grounded in everyday experience. Nurse practitioners, dietitians, pharmacists, psychotherapists, exercise specialists, and neuro-optometrists led discussions on topics ranging from prevention and daily management to emotional health and the often-overlooked complications of diabetes.

Many participants said the presentations resonated with their lived experience:

“This wasn’t theory. It was what I deal with every day.”

“I didn’t know stress alone could push blood sugar up.”

“I always thought diabetes was about food and medication. No one had explained that feet, eyes, and mental health matter just as much.”

Advice, Conversation, and a Sense of Not Being Alone

Across the hall, consulting tables were set up for one-on-one conversations: traditional Chinese medicine assessment, prenatal vaccine guidance, seniors’ care, skin health, low-sugar meal planning, fitness, autism support, and youth mental and emotional development.

People arrived with specific concerns; most left with a clearer sense of what to do next. For many, the most comforting discovery was simple—that the challenges of diabetes are shared by others.

Community in Action

Interactive areas offered small but meaningful moments: demonstrations of diabetes-friendly cooking, hands-on TCM consultations, skin-care tips for those living with diabetes, and a chance to try Abbott’s real-time glucose monitor. CNIW volunteers handed out health information kits, and the atmosphere remained warm and social, helped along by small games and a lucky draw.

The day’s events underscored a message repeated quietly throughout the venue: diabetes is serious, but facing it alone is far harder. In a community setting, with the right support, guidance and companionship, the condition becomes less daunting.

Acknowledgements

The organisers expressed gratitude to all supporting partners:
Zhitong Hall, Jada Financial, Abbott, the Kidney Foundation of Canada, the Canada-China Trade & Culture Exchange Association, the Federation of Chinese University Alumni Associations, Mon Sheong Foundation, EMAC, New Power Media, Her World, Light-Car Nutrition, Xiangdezai, Outstanding Young Musicians International Music Festival, LEGAC, My Love Youth Choir, the Canadian Youth Leadership and Multicultural Services Association, LEGAC International Arts & Culture Exchange Centre, Huafengyun Art Troupe, and Hongbo Immigration & Education Services.dership and Multicultural Services Association, LEGAC International Arts & Culture Exchange Centre, Huafengyun Art Troupe, and Hongbo Immigration & Education Services.