National Diabetes Awareness

Diabetes Australia launched a national campaign “Let’s prevent diabetes” calling on governments to fund a prevention program for Type 2 diabetes during national diabetes week between 8th & 14th July.

The key messages from this year diabetes awareness campaign are:

  • We can prevent traffic deaths – and we do
  • We can prevent head injuries – and we do
  • We can prevent drowning’s – and we do
  • We can prevent type 2 diabetes – why don’t we?

East Grampians Health Service Diabetes  Educator Ms Leonie Macdonald said “diabetes is Australia’s fastest growing chronic disease. Type 2 diabetes represents the vast majority of diabetes in Australia (85–90 per cent) and has been called the epidemic of the 21st century. Diabetes Australia statistics showed that from 2001 – 2011 in Ararat there was an increase of the number of people with diabetes by 430 cases a rise of 138%”

 

Ms Macdonald highlighted that ”lifestyle structured changes can easily prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. For information,  individual and or group support to make these changes contact EGHS Community Centre 5352 9327.”

EGHS  LIFE! Facilitator, Ms Leonie Tellefson assisted  Mrs Eileen Clark to use the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool (AusDRisk) to identify her risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Leonie Macdonald – DIABETES EDUCATOR

Leonie Tellefson – LIFE!  FACILITATOR