About the Thyroid Foundation of Canada

Who we are

The Thyroid Foundation of Canada is a non-profit registered volunteer organization whose mission is to support thyroid patients across Canada through awareness, education, and research.

Funds to support the programs of the foundation come mainly through membership and donations.

Founder


Diana Hains Meltzer Abramsky
1915 – 2000

Board of Directors 2023-2024

President
Laz Bouros – Ottawa ON

Past President
Mabel Miller – Gander NL

Vice President 
Kim McNally – Kingston ON

Director, Communications
Sara Esam – Ottawa ON

Director, Education
Michelle Sveistrup – Beaconsfield QC

Director, Patient Support
Kim McNally – Kingston ON

Director, Research
Hanista Premachandran – Scarborough ON

Director, Volunteer Recruitment & Development
Lauri Martin – Strome, AB

Director at Large
Tracy Hey – St. Margaret’s Bay NS

Diana and the History of TFC

The Thyroid Foundation of Canada/La Fondation canadienne de la Thyroïde was founded in 1980 by Diana Meltzer Abramsky CM, BA in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Diana wanted to help the many patients suffering from thyroid disease as she had done. With the assistance of Dr. Jack Wall she began the very first thyroid foundation in the world. A research fund was set up and educational material developed for patients on a wide range of thyroid topics.

Before 1980 there was no lay organization in the world of its type. TFC has been used as a model to form thyroid foundations in other countries around the world.

Diana’s work was recognized with many awards and in 1991 she received the Order of Canada. Sadly, Diana passed away in October 2000 but her work continues through many dedicated volunteers across Canada.

What we do

Some of the services provided by TFC include:

  • Toll-free telephone line available to anyone in Canada 1-800-267-8822.
  • Educational material such as Information on Thyroid Disease
  • Thyrobulletin, TFC’s official newsletter available to members
  • TFC’s website, thyroid.ca, offers medically approved thyroid information available to the public.
  • Public educational webinars
  • Awareness and publicity
  • Annual Research Awards program provides funding for thyroid-related research projects.

Our Mission

Awareness – To awaken public interest in, and awareness of, thyroid disease.

Support – To lend moral support to thyroid patients and their families.

Research – To assist in fund raising for thyroid disease research.

Our Vision

A premiere Canadian charity, well managed, sustainable and established, recognized for its leadership in improving and supporting the thyroid health of Canadians across all parts of the country.

Diana’s Wishes

  • I wish for earlier diagnosis and treatment of thyroid gland malfunction.
  • I wish for improved doctor/patient communication vis-à-vis understanding thyroid disease and treatment.
  • I wish for more thyroid clinics across Canada where, without referrals, people could have their symptoms evaluated by thyroid specialists.
  • I wish hypothyroid screening, which has helped prevent mental retardation in infants, would be expanded to include adolescents and adults in high risk cases.
  • I wish thyroid research were not so seriously underfunded; that it would become a more visible target for private donations and bequests, as well as corporate and government funding.
  • I wish the cost effectiveness of government-sponsored thyroid education update programs, for health care professionals, would be realized.
  • I wish for a continuation of national media coverage of the Foundation’s thyroid awareness programs, which inform the public-at-large about serious medical problems that may result from an untreated, malfunctioning thyroid gland.
  • I wish for talented leaders and members, at the Chapter level, to continue promoting the Foundation as a recognized source of thyroid information, for all age groups and all segments of society.
  • I wish for dynamic leaders and members, who will inspire the public-at-large (lay and professional) to become thyroid conscious; to “think thyroid research!” and “support thyroid research!”
  • I wish for caring, dedicated leadership in our growing network of Chapters, to continue to accept new tasks and challenges, with the same warmth towards thyroid patients, and with the same heart and soul of our early days.
  • I wish for a world Thyroid Foundation with Chapters in every corner of the globe, where the universal problems of thyroid patients may be addressed.

What you can do

You can help the Thyroid Foundation of Canada carry out its programs by:

  • Becoming a member
  • Making a donation
  • Becoming a volunteer

All membership fees and donations support the work of the Foundation and are tax deductible.

For further information call 1800-267-8822.

Contact us:

If you would like us to contact you by email, please write to:  info@thyroid.ca

If you would like to speak to someone, please leave your name and phone number at:  1-800-267-8822

Help us to Help Others

Awareness/Education

  • Community publicity & advocacy
  • Educational webinars
  • Information resources on our website

Patient Support

  • Toll Free Help line and email
  • Website thyroid news
  • Thyrobulletin newsletter

Research

  • Annual Thyroid Research grants
  • Thyroid research news
  • Thyroid research articles