WE ARE searching for people affected by diabetes to help us spread the message about the importance of good diabetes care and support in Swindon during Diabetes Week, which takes place from June 14-20. I hope your readers may be able to help us in our search. Perhaps they are living with the condition or they know someone who is.

We are looking for men and women of all ages and walks of life who have had Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. We hope that by sharing their personal experiences and stories with the community, we can inspire others in the area who are living with diabetes and maybe struggling to manage their condition, to make changes and improve their health.

In Swindon, there are over 11,000 people living with diabetes. In the UK, there are around 3.8 million people who have diabetes. There are 3.2 million people living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and around 630,000 more who have Type 2 diabetes but don’t know they have it because they haven’t yet been diagnosed.

If not managed well, both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can lead to devastating complications. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in people of working age in the UK and is a major cause of lower limb amputation, kidney failure and stroke.

People with diabetes in Swindon wanting to share their stories are invited to contact Diabetes UK. Send a brief summary of your experience with diabetes via email to south.west@diabetes.org.uk

 

CLAIRE GORDON Regional manager South West Diabetes UK