The community program is inspiring engagement, activity and healthy living through basketball by improving community access to courts and education across six Asian markets.  

HONG KONG, Aug. 29, 2024 -- The Hoops+Health program has helped more than 14,000 kids and communities get active in 2024, marking a significant milestone in Sun Life's partnership with global sport for social change foundation Beyond Sport.

Rolled out in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam, the program launched in September 2023 by encouraging active, healthy lifestyles for kids and communities across the region. The program focused on three key areas - improving access to physical activity with renovated basketball courts providing safe spaces to play in underprivileged areas; engaging local communities, coaches, and Sun Life employees by organizing court opening events, volunteering days and educational workshops; and finally inspiring young people to be more active through free-to-access basketball sessions.

The program followed 2022 research by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance which found a worrying lack of physical activity amongst children aged 6-17 across Asia, prompting a need to improve health outcomes for underserved youth and address the concerning rise in diabetes¹.

Since its launch in September 2023, more than 4,500 community members have accessed five newly renovated sports facilities through Hoops+Health. 85 coaches have been provided with basketball training and more than 9,000 young people have been reached through the program. Moving forward, there are plans to improve court management, and raise funds for annual maintenance to ensure that these courts are sustained long in the future.

David Broom, Chief Client and Distribution Officer at Sun Life Asia, said, "At Sun Life, we recognize the vital role that sport plays in keeping young people active, healthy and engaged. Our Hoops+Health program is all about creating spaces where everyone, from complete beginners to aspiring athletes, can access coaching and training.  The results from the program have been truly inspiring. We hope these revitalized basketball courts will continue to be the beating heart of these local neighbourhoods, as we make positive strides towards nurturing a healthier, more active generation in Asia."

Empowering Communities Through Sport

Fred Turner, Executive Director at Beyond Sport, emphasizes the multifaceted benefits of sports, "Sport is not only a fantastic way to stay active and healthy, but it also imparts valuable life skills that extend beyond the court. However, the ability to access these benefits hinges on the availability of proper coaching infrastructure and facilities. The collaborative Hoops+Health program is dedicated to empowering local communities through sport, providing children and adults with safe and functional spaces for learning and development."

Sun Life's Commitment to Diabetes Prevention and a Healthier Future

Since 2012, Sun Life has championed diabetes prevention, awareness and care as its global cause. A report in the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism this year found that young-onset diabetes affects one in five Asian adults.¹ With diabetes emerging as a health epidemic affecting over half a billion individuals worldwide—a number projected to double in the next two decades—Sun Life remains steadfast in its commitment. Sun Life invests in projects and partnerships that promote physical activity as a means to prevent diabetes, thereby fostering a healthier generation for the future. Sun Life has committed $52.4 million to the fight against diabetes globally since 2012.

Read the full report here.

ENDS

Note: All currency figures are in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise stated.

Notes to Editors:

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life 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 June 30, 2024, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1.46 trillion. 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 Sport

Beyond Sport is a global foundation that leverages sport's transformative power to address today's critical social issues. The organization champions people, programs and communities that use sport to build opportunity and equity, creating a more inclusive and progressive world.

Since 2008, the global foundation has raised more than US$20 million to promote social change. Beyond Sport has granted US$9.5 million to 384 initiatives across 75 countries in addition to vital capacity-building tools, supporting leaders to create lasting change.  For more information, visit beyondsport.org.

Media Relations Contact:               

Becky Marshall                                                                                 

Director, Communications, Sun Life Asia                                    

T: +852 6171 0312

E: becky.marshall@sunlife.com

Iris Ng

Account Director

T: +852 9838 3501

E: iris.ng@sandpipercomms.com