With one in three Canadians now living with diabetes or prediabetes, the search for effective prevention and reversal strategies is increasingly urgent. The Sun Life Diabetes Prevention and Remission Clinic at the Montreal Heart Institute’s EPIC Center is demonstrating promising results through a comprehensive, lifestyle-focused approach. This report details how the clinic-supported by a recent $600,000 donation from Sun Life, building on $1.5 million in prior investment-is helping patients not just manage, but potentially reverse the course of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes without reliance on medication.
Diabetes and prediabetes are reaching epidemic proportions, currently affecting one in three Canadians. At the Sun Life Diabetes Prevention and Remission Clinic at the Montreal Heart Institute’s (ICM) EPIC Center, a multidisciplinary team is working with patients with type 2 diabetes to transform their lifestyles. The goal: to control the disease and potentially reverse its course without medication.
Often intertwined with other chronic conditions, diabetes frequently coexists with hypertension, cardiovascular issues, and psychological distress. Increasingly, the disease is also being diagnosed in children and adolescents, raising concerns about long-term health impacts. “Over the past few decades, there has been a significant increase in cases of type 2 diabetes in both young adults and teenagers,” says Dr. Josep Iglesies-Grau, a cardiologist at the ICM. “This rise is largely attributable to increasing rates of overweight and obesity, and potentially also linked to changes in dietary habits and a more sedentary lifestyle.”
Comprehensive Care
In response to this growing public health challenge, Sun Life, the ICM, and its Foundation partnered to launch the Sun Life Diabetes Prevention and Remission Clinic in 2019. The clinic brings together physicians, nurses, kinesiologists, nutritionists, and psychologists to guide patients in adopting personalized healthy eating plans and exercise routines. Practical workshops, such as those focused on stress and sleep management, are also offered. “Throughout the process, we monitor patients’ progress and make necessary adjustments,” explains Dr. Iglesies-Grau.
The clinic emphasizes realistic and sustainable changes, starting with a deeper understanding of the disease, its treatments, and ways to prevent and reverse it. Since its inception, more than 1,500 patients have benefited from the program.
Encouraging Discovery
The clinic’s holistic approach has led to a significant and unexpected development in recent years. “Our initial goal was to improve the health of our patients, and we achieved that… to the point of reversing the condition in many patients with prediabetes or diabetes,” says Dr. Iglesies-Grau. “We were pleasantly surprised by these results.”
The data supports these observations: 40% of clinic patients with prediabetes achieve complete remission, and 20% of patients recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes return to normal blood sugar levels after six months, without the need for medication. “Based on these findings, our current focus is on preventing the disease and achieving remission,” Dr. Iglesies-Grau clarifies.
Leveraging Generosity
The clinic relies on the support of Sun Life, which recently announced a new donation of $600,000 over three years, adding to previous contributions. “To date, Sun Life has invested $1.5 million in this innovative project, which aligns with our values,” says Robert Dumas, President and CEO of Sun Life Québec.
Globally, Sun Life supports initiatives focused on raising awareness, preventing, and treating type 2 diabetes. Since 2012, the company has invested $60 million in the fight against the disease worldwide.
For Sun Life, investing in the clinic is more than just a donation. “It’s a concrete commitment to changing the lives of hundreds of patients in Quebec each year. This commitment embodies our purpose: to help people achieve financial security and a healthy lifestyle,” says Dumas.
Completing the program at the clinic marks the beginning of a new level of independence for patients. “Most of our patients utilize the clinic’s services for a maximum of one year, enough time to establish new lifestyle habits, which we strongly encourage them to maintain afterward,” summarizes Dr. Iglesies-Grau. By reversing their prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, these individuals reduce their risk of associated diseases, decrease their need for medication, and lower healthcare costs for the healthcare system. “The positive effects of the clinic are exponential,” the cardiologist asserts.
Ultimately, clinic patients become advocates for prevention. By sharing their knowledge about diabetes and raising awareness of risk factors, they contribute to a broader effort to combat the disease. “Health isn’t just the absence of illness,” Dr. Iglesies-Grau emphasizes, “it’s a lifestyle. And when you equip people and empower them to take action, they regain confidence and become active participants in their own health.”
A Therapeutic Commitment: Claude Brillon’s Experience
After experiencing a heart attack in 2023, Claude Brillon met Dr. Iglesies-Grau at the EPIC Center of the Montreal Heart Institute. Shortly after, he received a diagnosis of prediabetes. The cardiologist then told him about the program offered at the Sun Life Diabetes Prevention and Remission Clinic.
Driven by the hope of reversing his prediabetes, the trainer and business coach began the process with determination. “From the start, I was ready to change my lifestyle to regain my health,” he recalls. For nine months, he attended regular meetings with a physician, nurse, nutritionist, and kinesiologist, sometimes in person and often remotely. “Each of these individuals played a role in my success. Both the expertise and the listening skills of all the staff helped me progress,” he says.
Gradually, the results became apparent. “I changed my diet and started exercising,” he says. Throughout his journey, he learned about prediabetes and gained important insights. “I discovered, for example, that strength training is essential for reversing the disease,” he shares. His progress not only reflected improvements in his physical health but also had a significant positive impact on his mental well-being.
Although his program ended in March, Claude Brillon continues to apply the lessons he learned daily. “I was able to reverse my prediabetes! I feel good, strong, and independent. And I know the clinic will be there if I need it again,” he expresses confidently.
To learn more about the Sun Life Diabetes Prevention and Remission Clinic: https://fondationicm.org/fr/clinique-prevention-diabete
