NEWS
The University of Leicester joined a
community group in Leicester to help
fight diabetes. Members of the Dawoodi
Bohra Community organised a diabetes
awareness walk in Victoria Park in March.
The aim was to raise £25,000 working in
association with the University, as well as
with Silver Star, Diabetes UK, Leicester
Diabetes Centre and the Diabetes Village.
Dr Murtaza Salem, Honorary Lecturer in
Cardiovascular Sciences at the University
and Vascular Surgery Specialist Registrar
at Leicester's Hospitals, was one of the
organisers of the event. He said: "Our
community in Leicester is small but we
are keen to make a difference to the
country and community we live in. This
is one of our many projects to increase
awareness about diabetes. The diabetes
walk was a multi-faith, cross-community
event for everyone from Leicester and
further afield and there was widespread
support from different faith communities
including Christian, Sikh, Hindu, Muslim,
and Jewish communities."
Professor Davies CBE, Professor of
Diabetes Medicine at the University of
Leicester and Co-Director of the Leicester
Diabetes Centre, said: "The diversity
of Leicester is something we celebrate
and embrace. It is because of this that
our multi-cultural city is part of a global
campaign to improve the prevention
and management of Type 2 diabetes.
We are passionate about improving the
health of our community and promoting
physical activity, and walking is a really
WALKING THE TALK IN LEICESTER important and practical initiative for all of
our communities. The Cities Changing
Diabetes programme is a partnership
programme initiated by Novo Nordisk in
response to the dramatic rise and link
between diabetes and urbanisation. We
will work with stakeholders and other
member cities to drive up awareness,
education and treatment across our city."
Dawoodi Bohras mostly originate from
the North West Indian state of Gujarat.
The Diabetes Innovation Challenge has
been put together by JDRF, ADA and T1D
Exchange. What is going to be the next
step in diabetes treatment? This global
competition set out to do a world of good.
Which innovation stands to improve the
lives of those affected by diabetes? The
fact is that you can help to decide. Voting
is open and ends on 19 May (link at end).
Rachel Connor is UK Director of
Research Partnerships for the Type 1
diabetes charity JDRF. She says, "In the
past five years, we've seen more progress
in Type 1 diabetes research than in the
previous 50 years before that. The key
has been identifying genuinely innovative
approaches to the challenges Type 1
diabetes presents. That's why it's great to
see the finalists announced for the 2018
Diabetes Innovation Challenge."
T1D Exchange held the first Diabetes
Innovation Challenge in 2016 born from a
need recognized throughout all aspects of
their work - the need to find, support and
accelerate new ideas that will become
the next decade of innovation to improve
life for people living with diabetes. T1D
Exchange is a Boston-based nonprofit
organization dedicated to accelerating
therapies and improving care in Type 1
diabetes. In the 2016 Diabetes Innovation
Challenge, Sproutel was chosen as the
People's Choice Winner. Their product
- a teaching teddy bear tool for children
with Type 1 diabetes - got tremendous
exposure and made important
connections to help them get distribution
for this teaching tool.
www.diabetes.com/vote
DIABETES INNOVATION CHALLENGE
YOU CAN VOTE!