Three months to go to World Diabetes Day!

Enviado el 19 Agosto 2008

Landmarks bring diabetes to light
Proclamation toolkit now available
Know the diabetes warning signs – the DKA initiative
Friends of World Diabetes Day: Kids Chain
Give life to a child with diabetes
A global symbol for diabetes

1. Landmarks bring diabetes to light

One of the calls to action for the World Diabetes Day campaign is to light iconic landmarks and buildings in blue. With three months to go, more than 35 have already confirmed their participation in World Diabetes Day 2008:

Banting House National Historic Site, London, Ontario, Canada
Round About, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Swan Bell Tower, Perth, Australia
Kings Park Gum Trees, Perth, Australia
Jet d'eau, Geneva, Switzerland
Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Cardiff, UK
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Indira Gandhi Statue, Gorakhpur, India
City Hall, Nicosia, Cyprus
City Hall, Brussels, Belgium
Chitracute public garden, Jaipur, India
Sophia school, Jodhpur, India
City Hall, Koprivnica, Croatia
Congregation Church, Nauru
Citadel of Aleppo, Syria
City Hall, Wavre, Belgium
The Hofdi House, Reykjavik, Iceland
City Hall, Tarbes, France
El Obelisco, Buenos Aires, Argentina
City Hall, Gent, Belgium
The Gateshead Millenium Bridge, Newcastle, UK
City Hall, Río Cuarto, Argentina
De Boekentoren, Gent, Belgium
Manneken-Pis, Brussels, Belgium
Tingshuset, Kopparberg, Sweden
Main Entrance Novartis Campus, Basle, Switzerland
Hofburg, Vienna, Austria
City Hall, Nivelles, Belgium
City Hall, Profondeville, Belgium
Torre Mayor, Mexico City, Mexico
City Hall, Hannut, Belgium
City Hall, Libin, Belgium
City Hall, Frasnes-les-Anvaing, Belgium
Notre Dame Cathedral, Lausanne, Switzerland
Lincoln monument, Laramie, Wyoming, US
City Hall, Sainte-Ode, Belgium

Will you participate in the monument challenge? A guide to help you make the most of your lighting opportunity is available in English, French and Spanish. Download the guide from: http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/events/monument-challenge.

Are you seeking a lighting opportunity? When your participating monument is confirmed, please let us know so that we can add it to the list (wdd@idf.org).

2. Proclamation toolkit now available

Last year, town and city officials around the world issued proclamations in support of World Diabetes Day. Can you secure a proclamation in support of the Year of the Child with Diabetes? In order to help you, we have made a toolkit available at: http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/events/proclamations. The toolkit includes a draft letter of request, copies of the World Diabetes Day Resolution (UN Res. 61/225), data sheets to support your case, suggested wording to tie in with the theme and a template press release.

3. Know the diabetes warning signs – the DKA initiative

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is the leading cause of death and disability in children with type 1 diabetes around the world. If left untreated, it has a 100% death rate. Between 60% to 90% of all DKA-related deaths are a consequence of cerebral oedema, or swelling of the brain. It is a complication unique to children.

DKA occurs in up to 40% of people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Severe acidosis often develops during an extended period in which symptoms related to high blood sugar are either not diagnosed or are misdiagnosed. Recognizing these symptoms early can be enough to avoid the serious consequences of ketoacidosis.

The International Diabetes Federation, in collaboration with the the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD), is campaigning to raise awareness of the warning signs of diabetes. We have developed a page of the World Diabetes Day website to collect and share material to support local campaigns to prevent diabetic ketoacidosis in children and adolescents at the time of diagnosis. We have created a striking poster that shows the diabetes warning signs as pictograms. A high-resolution version of the poster can be downloaded to adapt and print locally.

Get the 'Know the diabetes warning signs' poster from http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/dka (at present the poster is only available in English).

Please note that electronic versions of the World Diabetes Day logo, posters and booklet can be downloaded in multiple languages from www.worlddiabetesday.org/materials.

4. Friends of World Diabetes Day: Kids Chain

New friends of World Diabetes Day this month include Kids Chain, a Dutch initiative that brings together 42 children with diabetes to run a marathon in relay.

Each child runs one kilometre of the 42km course to raise awareness of diabetes, build self-esteem and promote physical activity as a way to improve diabetes control. Kids Chain brings together representative organizations from various industries to support the children. This year, to conclude the two-year theme dedicated to diabetes in children and adolescents, Kids Chain is looking for participants to join them in the New York City Marathon. More information can be found at http://www.kidschain.nl/nyc (page available in English only). If you would like to participate, please contact Annemieke Zomer at running@atp.nl - but you'll have to hurry as the deadline for registration is August 20.

Would you like to become an official friend to this year's campaign? Send us an outline of what you are doing along with your contact details to wdd@idf.org.

5. Give life to a child with diabetes

As a response to the dire circumstances facing children with type 1 diabetes in low- and middle-income countries, the International Diabetes Federation established its Life for a Child Program (http://www.lifeforachild.org), with the support of Diabetes Australia-NSW and HOPE worldwide. The Program provides supplies and care to places of greatest need. Currently, Life for a Child supports close to 1000 children in over 15 countries. One of the goals for World Diabetes Day 2008 is to help expand the Program further.

We have produced a selection of promotional items for World Diabetes Day. A percentage of the income generated by sales of these items is used to support children on the Life for a Child Program. The merchandise items include candles, crayons, Frisbees and fridge magnets. Please help us promote sales of these items via: http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/materials/merchandise. By doing so, you can help give life to a child with diabetes.

6. A global symbol for diabetes

Another promotional item that supports children with diabetes is the diabetes blue circle pin. The blue circle is the global symbol for diabetes. It was developed as part of the Unite for Diabetes awareness campaign that saw the passage of United Nations Resolution 61/225. The logo was incorporated into the World Diabetes Day logo last year. It is a simple icon that can be easily adapted and widely adopted. The circle symbolizes life and health. The colour blue reflects the sky that unites all nations. The diabetes blue circle signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.

Help us to establish this symbol for diabetes. Can you find a local celebrity to wear the pin? Can you get a newsreader or other television presenter to wear the blue circle? Where else can you plant the blue circle? Post your blue circle pictures online to: http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/flickr-submit.

The diabetes blue circle pin can be bought in packs of 10 from http://shop.idf.org.

Whatever your plans and regardless of the date, share your activities with the global diabetes community. Register your awareness-raising events through the World Diabetes Day website and help inspire others to take action: http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/node/add/event.

With kind regards

Phil Riley on behalf of the World Diabetes Day team.

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