Nick Jonas and Sun Life Financial provide select members of the diabetes community the opportunity to meet their pop icon

TORONTO, July 22, 2016 /CNW/ - Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) is teaming up with BEYOND TYPE 1 to provide select community members of the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) and JDRF Quebec living with diabetes the once in a lifetime chance to meet singer/songwriter Nick Jonas.

"I'm thrilled to join forces with Sun Life Financial in the fight against diabetes and encourage people living with this disease to follow their dreams and live beyond their diagnosis," said Nick Jonas, co-founder, BEYOND TYPE 1. "Since I was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 13, I've learned how to properly manage my disease to not only live, but live well. Although type 1 diabetes is not preventable, 90% of people with diabetes live with type 2, which in many cases can be prevented or delayed by identifying risks, eating well and staying active."

Throughout the summer of 2016, Sun Life Financial, the CDA and JDRF Quebec will be joining Nick Jonas on the road for the Canadian leg of his world tour. With stops in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg, select community members of the CDA and JDRF Quebec living with diabetes will have the opportunity to meet and speak with Nick Jonas and enjoy his concert free of charge.

"We want to inspire these people to continue to manage their disease effectively and, like Nick, lead full and successful lives," said Paul Joliat, Assistant Vice-President, Philanthropy & Sponsorships, Sun Life Financial. "Diabetes is a global epidemic and rates continue to rise. That's why, at Sun Life, we're committed to the prevention of diabetes and its related complications and want to remind Canadians that knowing their risk level is simple yet vital."

Sun Life Financial is encouraging Canadians to visit www.sunlifeagainstdiabetes.com, get screened for their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and take the proper steps to help prevent it or manage its onset.

"Eleven million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes. That's why learning your risk for type 2 diabetes is such an important step to take charge of your health. The CDA works with Canadians affected by type 1 and type 2 diabetes to help them better manage the disease and to try to prevent new cases of type 2 diabetes whenever possible. We are thankful to Nick Jonas, Sun Life Financial and BEYOND TYPE 1 for helping us get this important message out," said CDA President and CEO Rick Blickstead.

For more information about Sun Life Financial's support of diabetes, visit www.sunlife.ca/diabetes.

About Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to individuals and corporate customers. Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2016, the Sun Life Financial group of companies had total assets under management of $861 billion. For more information please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

About Beyond Type 1
BEYOND TYPE 1 was founded in 2015 by Juliet de Baubigny, Nick Jonas, Sarah Lucas and Sam Talbot. BEYOND TYPE 1 is a new brand of philanthropy leveraging the power of social media and technology, changing what it means to live with type 1 diabetes. By educating the global community about this chronic, autoimmune disease, as well as providing resources and support for those living with type 1, BEYOND TYPE 1 bridges the gap from diagnosis to cure, empowering people to both live well today and to fund a better tomorrow. 100% of every dollar raised directly supports the most promising global efforts and programs working to educate, advocate and cure type 1 diabetes.

About the Canadian Diabetes Association
The Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) is the registered national charity that helps the 11 million Canadians with diabetes or prediabetes live healthy lives, and educates those at risk. In communities across Canada, the CDA offers educational programs and support services; develops resources for health-care professionals on best practices to care for people with diabetes; advocates with those affected by diabetes to governments, schools and workplaces; and, funds research to improve treatments and find a cure.

For more information, visit www.diabetes.ca or call 1-800-BANTING (226-8464).

About JDRF Canada
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF's goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people's lives until we achieve a world without T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D. As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF is currently sponsoring $530 million in scientific research in 18 countries. For more information, please visit jdrf.ca

SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.

Media Relations Contact: 
Alessandra Nigro
Manager, Corporate Communications
Sun Life Financial
T. 416-979-4884
C. 416-859-6918
[email protected]