LIVINGLIVING
ACTION4DIABETICS
A charity providing education and support for T1Ds in Asia.
Speaking about starting up
the charity Action4Diabetics
(A4D) one of the founders,
Jerry Gore, explains, "While
training for the marines, I
met Charles Toomey and we did various
operations together, then we left the
Marines and went into business. I went
into outdoor activities and he ended
up working within the pharmaceutical
industry in Asia. We reconnected around
2010. By that stage, I'd had Type I
diabetes for nearly a decade, having
been diagnosed in 2001. For a while I was
working with an organisation called Insulin
for Life, a global organization helping get
medication to people with diabetes.
"Charlie saw what I was up to and,
although not a diabetic himself, he had
worked with the insulin producer Lilly in Asia,
so he had a very good understanding of the
condition and particularly how vital insulin is.
We met up again, actually in Bangkok, and
we talked about how badly handled insulin
distribution was in Asia and in emerging
nations like Thailand. We decided to set up
our own charity to help improve matters and
that was the start of A4D.
"Having started in Myanmar (Burma),
where we thought the need was greatest,
we are now looking to get involved in
countries like Laos and Nepal, countries
that lack the resources to care for children
with diabetes properly. It's a very rare
condition out there but intense in its
needs. We focus on children with Type I
diabetes up to the age of 25 years. We
get them on insulin programmes, give
them educational support then help
them to get their first job. It's important
that they can work with companies that
can accommodate having a diabetic
on staff who will not be fired for having
a hypo at work. Every penny raised
goes direct to the kids. I pay for my own
flights and accommodation. We monitor
absolutely everything you can't get
good sponsorship without credibility and
transparency."
www.action4diabetics.org
action4diabetes video