A major €500,000 donation for children’s and adolescents’ diabetes research marks the TYKS Foundation’s 25th anniversary year
Marita and Heikki Vaiste have donated €500,000 to the TYKS Foundation in support of research on diabetes in children and young people. The donation commemorates the Foundation’s 25th anniversary and reflects the couple’s personal connection to the disease — their grandchild was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before the age of two.
Type 1 diabetes is more common in Finland than anywhere else in the world. Its onset is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, but the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Each year, over a thousand Finns are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the majority of them children or adolescents. The condition requires lifelong insulin therapy by injection or insulin pump. Although treatment has advanced considerably in recent decades, diabetes still demands constant monitoring and affects the daily lives and wellbeing of young patients and their families.
There had been no history of diabetes in our family, and our little grandchild’s illness affected us deeply. We had to learn about blood glucose monitoring, insulin injections, and nutrition — things we had never imagined would become part of our lives. The illness felt unfair at first, but over time we’ve all adjusted. Supporting diabetes research, both to prevent the disease and improve treatment, is very close to our hearts. We have supported the TYKS Foundation from the very beginning. This milestone year is a good time to remind everyone that it is still both relevant and important to support the Foundation’s work, which advances scientific research at Tyks.” say Marita and Heikki Vaiste.
From the Marita and Heikki Vaiste Fund, research and project grants of €50,000–100,000 will be awarded for studies on type 1 diabetes and other diabetes-related research involving children and young people. The first grants will be awarded in 2026.
A vibrant foundation supporting science and better care
Founded in autumn 1999, the TYKS Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025 by continuing to fulfil its core mission — supporting scientific research in medicine and health sciences. Earlier this year, the Foundation awarded €250,000 in grants to researchers whose work advances diagnostics and patient care. The Foundation also operates a clinical research centre on Sirkkalankatu in Turku, providing workspace for 18 researchers.
– Over the past 25 years, the TYKS Foundation has built a strong financial foundation that enables long-term support for researchers, especially those at the beginning of their careers. We are deeply grateful to all donors who have supported the TYKS Foundation over the years — we continue to need the support. There is no shortage of research challenges, both old and new. The Vaiste donation is a tremendously valuable boost for diabetes research in Turku,” says MD Minna Lukkarinen, Executive Director of the TYKS Foundation and Specialist in Paediatrics.
A short history of the Foundation’s first 25 years in Finnish is available at here »
Facts about type 1 diabetes
- Type 1 diabetes is caused by the destruction of the pancreas’s insulin-producing cells, which are vital for the body’s ability to use glucose.
- The disease is most often diagnosed in children under the age of 15 but can develop at any age — even in infants and toddlers.
- World Diabetes Day is observed on Friday, 14 November 2025.
Further information
Minna Lukkarinen, Executive Director, TYKS Foundation
minna.lukkarinen@utu.fi
puh. 040 701 7876
https://www.tykssaatio.fi
Marita Vaiste
marita@vaiste.fi
puh. 040 537 3717
About the TYKS Foundation
The TYKS Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports, promotes, and sustains research in clinical medicine and university-level health sciences at Turku University Hospital and across its region.
Donations and bequests are a vital part of the Foundation’s funding. Even small contributions are invaluable — every gift helps researchers develop better treatments and improve care for future patients.