Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in North America. By 2020, an estimated 4.2 million Canadians will be living with the disease and its devastating complications. People with diabetes have an increased risk of developing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) as a result of the loss of protective sensation in their extremities. Twenty five percent of individuals with diabetes will have a DFU in their lifetime, increasing their risk of amputation and pushing their five-year mortality rate to surpass that of patients with Hodgkin’s disease, breast cancer or prostate cancer.1,2,3 The direct cost of diabetes in Canada now accounts for about 3.5% of public health-care spending, and this figure continues to rise.4 The cost of DFUs is an enormous strain on health-care systems: about $12.2 billion in 2010. Care for people living with diabetic foot ulcers needs to be holistic and requires addressing all factors that contribute to ulceration, including repeated trauma and pressure. For years, the Canadian wound-care community recognized and understood the importance and value of pressure … read more (pdf)