The recent bi-monthly meeting of the Armidale/Uralla and District Branch of the Australian Diabetes Council hosted a special guest in Anthony Adams.
Mr Adams is a Northern NSW Regional Community Relationship Manager for the Australian Diabetes Council. “This is the fastest growing chronic disease in history. Currently, there are 1.2 million Australians who have diabetes. We think (given current rates of diagnosis) that by 2016, 3.7 million Australians will have diabetes.
“From 2005 to 2010, there has been a 30 per cent increase in diabetes in the Northern Tablelands. There are about 7500 people in the region known to have diabetes.
“For every person who has diabetes, we believe there is another person who is a diabetic but doesn’t know it. Early diagnosis is so important,” he stressed.
That message is in line with this year’s World Diabetes Day theme: ‘Act on Diabetes. Now’. World Diabetes Day will be on November 14.
“Every five and a half minutes, someone new is diagnosed with diabetes. It is an explosive epidemic. This support group in Armidale plays a significant part in addressing it, through raising funds and awareness of diabetes or the preventative lifestyle choices.
“Getting those messages out to people at risk of diabetes can make a real difference. If they change their diet and start incorporating exercise into their lives, then they could prevent or delay the onset of diabetes and they will have better health outcomes for themselves,” Mr Adams said.
The Australian Diabetes Council representative said it was important for him to connect with the support group in Armidale. “They do a lot of work for us in the community. I was able to listen to the feedback from the community here and take it back to our office. Where necessary, we can adjust our strategy to better meet the needs of people in the Armidale area,” he said.
“We are very conscious of our role in supporting rural and regional NSW,” said Mr Adams. “We are trying to regionalise our operation. For example, we now have an Australian Diabetes Council shop in Tamworth, which is open to the public five days a week.”
Also in attendance at the meeting was Transitional Nurse Practitioner (Diabetes), Louise Vaughan. To her surprise, Mrs Vaughan was presented with a framed certificate of appreciation by the Armidale/Uralla and District Branch of the Australian Diabetes Council. She said it illustrated the fact that her role is much more than just a job. “I was touched and honoured,” she said. “Diabetes is such a major health issue in the region and I am passionate about making a difference.”
Story: Gary Fry
