Diabetes Week 2009 - A Great Success, UK

Main Category: Diabetes
Article Date: 23 Jun 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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Diabetes UK would like to say a huge 'thank you' to everyone who helped to make this year's Diabetes Week such a great success - we could not have done it without you.

Throughout the week our volunteers, supporters and staff have been busy raising funds and diabetes awareness.

Of the thousands of events that went on across the country, here are just a few of the Diabetes Week highlights.

Raising awareness of the seriousness of diabetes

A concerted media drive for the week resulted in fantastic media coverage including news items in The Times and on the BBC's News Channel as well as regional radio stations, television programmes and newspapers.

On Tuesday 16 June, 100 people of whom 20 were diabetes amputees, converged on the 'Body Worlds and The Mirror of Time' exhibition at London's O2 Arena for a media photocall to raise awareness of the seriousness of this diabetes complication and to campaign for improved provision of diabetes foot care.

During Diabetes Week, the Body Worlds & The Mirror of Time exhibition also gave free entry to the exhibition to Diabetes UK supporters. Diabetes UK also had an awareness stand offering risk assessments to visitors.

If you have not yet managed to go to the exhibition, Body Worlds is also offering two-for-one entry to the exhibition, which is valid from now up until 23 August 2009. To redeem the two-for-one offer, simply print out this webpage and take it to the bubble box office at the O2 in London. For more information about Body Worlds & The Mirror of Time, visit http://www.visitlondon.com/bodyworlds

Diabetes UK at the House of Commons

Diabetes UK and the South Asian Health Foundation launched a new report to find out more about diabetes in South Asian people. The report was launched on Wednesday 17 June at a parliamentary reception hosted by Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, and the Diabetes UK Parliamentary Champion for 2009.

Roadshows

The Measure Up Roadshows continued to travel around the country and during Diabetes Week the big magenta buses came to Peckham in London, Craigavan in Northern Ireland, Crawley in Sussex, and Preston in Lancashire.

The Measure Up Roadshows will continue to travel up and down the country to reach a total of 110 towns by the end of this year. Go to Roadshow for more information.

"Congratulations and thank you for helping to make Diabetes Week such a success," said Douglas Smallwood, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK.

"I am extremely grateful to all volunteers, supporters and staff who have contributed their time and energy to help raise vital funds and strengthen our messages about the seriousness of diabetes."

Source
Diabetes UK