Our JDRF Centre of Excellence in Type 1 Diabetes Research have established an advisory group consisting of people with lived experiences of T1D to help inform, shape and communicate research in the JDRF Centre. We believe that bringing in people with lived experience of T1D is essential for informing our research moving forward such that we can understand what is of importance to you and what we can do better. Meet the members of our T1D lived experience advisory group below.
Main goals of the Advisory group
- To integrate the voices of people with lived experiences of type 1 diabetes to ensure their interests and concerns are heard and integrated into research aims and translational activities.
- To shape JDRF-CoE’s future research activities and support the mobilization of knowledge.
- To encourage and empower more PWLE to contribute to better quality T1D research.
Structure
The JDRF Centre’s T1D advisory group consists of two co-chairs and three additional group members.
Co-chair, Ramya Hosak, is in everyday life the Director of Philanthropy at the Kidney Foundation, BC & Yukon Branch. She is also the Co-founder and volunteer Executive Director of Young and Type 1, a grassroots support system of over 650 adults 18 – 40+ living with type 1 diabetes and their loved ones in the Lower mainland. Ramya also serves on the Board of Directors for the Fraser Health Authority, governing the largest health authority in the province, and is dedicated to supporting the best healthcare outcomes for all British Columbians, regardless of their background.
Co-chair, Dr. Benjamin Mammon, graduated from the UBC Faculty of Medicine in 2021 and completed Family Medicine residency in Ottawa in 2023. As a family physician, clinical researcher, Co-Founder of Young and T1, and JDRF CoE Advisory Co-Chair he is a dedicated advocate for the T1D community.
Group member, Doug Bourne, have been living with diabetes for 24 years now. The constant struggles are real, but have taught him perseverance, self awareness, resilience and the value of health. Doug look forward with great hope for the advancement of research that will make great differences in the lives of diabetics.
Group member, Beth Miller, is an outdoor enthusiast, a varsity athlete in the sport of rowing and studies forest sciences at UBC. Beth has been a Type 1 Diabetic for nearly 15 years and has been advocating for the diabetic community for just about as long. Growing up, she was a youth advocate for JDRF, speaking at local and national events. Beth is incredibly passionate about making the voices of the diabetic community heard and fundraising for new therapies and eventually, hopefully, a cure
Group member, Anthony Lucas, is an inspired parent of a son living with T1D, who is excelling in life in spite of this disease, in large part due to the excellent research the JDRF has help fund since 1970.
