Event Generates Awareness And Prevention Of Diabetes

Published on: 27 Jun, 2019
Updated on: 2 Jul, 2019

More than 70 people from Normandy and the surrounding area attended the Fairlands Practice Patient Participation Group’s (FPPPG) diabetes awareness event at St Mark’s Church Hall, Normandy.

With one person being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes every three minutes in England and Wales, the aim of the event on Saturday, June 22, was to be informative and to generate awareness to try to aid prevention.

Roy Johnson, chairman of Diabetes UK Guildford and South West Surrey and colleagues Geoff Woolley, Lieneke Eleveld and Pat Millar.

A variety of speakers ensured that it was an enlightening afternoon. The event was introduced by Surrey County Councillor for Worplesdon Keith Witham, who spoke about his experience with diabetes.

Dr Katherine McCullough, consultant physician in diabetes, endocrinology & acute medicine from the Royal Surrey County Hospital gave an informative talk about the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, how it is diagnosed, steps to try to prevent it and current research.

One of Katherine’s key messages was that you can live well with diabetes if you are in control of it.

Professor Paul Grob, visiting professor from the Department of Health Care Management & Policy at the University of Surrey, then spoke about the ‘Beat Diabetes’ programme.

The programme accepts that everyone starts off with good intentions to lose weight or have a healthier lifestyle, and then life just gets in the way; it encourages the selection of a personal goal and to devise ways to achieve it.

After a break for refreshments, Roy Johnson, chairman of Diabetes UK, Guildford and South West Surrey branch, was interviewed by Adrian Rickard, chairman of FPPPG, about his personal experience of Type 1 diabetes, and how he became involved with the charity.

This was followed by an interactive talk by Karen Mackie, community diabetes dietician at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. Karen looked at the importance of diet and exercise in our life and made people think about the carbohydrate values in certain foods.

The afternoon was rounded off by Dr Marty McKendry from the Fairlands practice who talked about diabetes from a GP’s perspective. He explained that, while some things in life are out of our control, by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising and not smoking, for example, we can manage the additional risk factors.

Adrian Rickard thanked Surrey County Council and the Community Foundation for Surrey for their financial support. He commented: “I would like to say a very big thank you to all of our speakers, who helped to create such an interesting and informative event.

‘Also, to everyone who came along, particularly on one of the first sunny days that we have had recently. Lastly, a big thank you to St Mark’s Church for their support and catering and to the FPPPG team, we wouldn’t have been able to run this event without you.”

For more information on DGGiabetes, visit the Diabetes UK website www.diabetes.org.uk.

For more information on the Fairlands Practice PPG, visit www.fairlands.co.uk.