Today marks World Diabetes Day which brings much needed awareness to the condition and any diabetes-related complications. Diabetes is a public health issue which is why it is vital that we’re actively looking into the ways that we can better prevent and manage it.
The theme for this year’s World Diabetes Day is ‘Access to Diabetes care’, particularly for those who have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. There are many people around the world who do not have the access to the care that they need to live with this condition, these individuals require ongoing care and support to avoid further complications. Because of this, it’s so important that we make ourselves aware of the key risks and identify the right way to respond.
It is a fact that Type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented by maintaining healthy habits like having a healthy diet, ensuring regular physical activity, maintaining normal body weight, and avoiding tobacco use. When not detected and treated early, diabetes can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening complications.
- 1 in 10 adults worldwide have diabetes.
- Over 90% have Type 2 diabetes. Close to half are not yet diagnosed.
- Shockingly, only about 50% of people with Type 2 diabetes get the insulin they need, often because their country’s health systems cannot afford it.
You can support the cause and help to raise awareness of the need for more diabetes education in a number of ways:
- Educate yourself and make yourself aware of your risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. An assessment tool like this one is very helpful: Type 2 diabetes risk assessment tool
- Take education courses so that you’re clued up on the condition and can be a pioneer to support those affected by diabetes.
Additionally, being aware of the key symptoms early on could avoid a medical emergency and save lives, so Diabetes UK are asking people to share social-media posts, with the hashtag #RewriteTheStory, highlighting early symptoms, such as:
- Feeling very thirsty
- Urinating more frequently than usual, particularly at night
- Fatigue
- Weight loss and loss of muscle
You can also take on the #NailingDiabetes challenge by painting your nails blue on November 14, to raise awareness.
This World Diabetes Day, will you help us stop diabetes forever?
Here at Tactical Solutions, we’re joining the fight to bring attention to Type 2 diabetes and ensure that everyone has access to the medical treatment that they deserve. Today we’re holding a fundraiser with proceeds being donated to the charity’ to help with their mission of stopping diabetes forever!
Graduate client account executive, Tiffany Segar organised the fundraiser at our HQ. For her, bringing awareness to this condition is vital – she stated:
“Having personally lived with the challenges of diabetes for the past 15 years, I’ve witnessed the impact that extensive research and support can have on the lives of those struggling with this condition. Additionally, I’ve faced discrimination stemming from misconceptions surrounding the causes of diabetes which sadly is common, especially in the workplace.
This is precisely why I felt it was beneficial for Tactical to get behind Diabetes UK as a business. By doing so, we not only raise awareness about the condition, but also create avenues for supporting colleagues dealing with diabetes. Our commitment to fundraising for this charity would be contributing to funding further research and the support systems for individuals managing diabetes.”
As a business who cares about the health and wellbeing of all our employees, we have a responsibility to bring attention to health issues like Diabetes to ensure that our staff have the key information about the condition and understand how they can prevent it in their personal life.
For more information on how you can get involved, visit: Get involved | World Diabetes Day
For more additional information about type 2 diabetes, please visit: Diabetes UK – Know diabetes. Fight diabetes. | Diabetes UK
