“Diabetes can be fatal but it is controllable. The solution lies with you.”

World Diabetes Day falls every year on 14 November and is a day when millions of people around the world come together to raise awareness of diabetes, and what it’s really like to live with the condition. It’s a global campaign led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) with activity taking place around the world.


Cllr Jim Maddan

The council’s health spokesman Cllr Jim Maddan has spoken out about how the condition has affected him:
“I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2000. I would be the first to admit that my lifestyle was a significant contributory factor. I changed my diet and started to take more exercise. It worked for a while, but I was soon having to take medication – first two tablets a day until finally I was on ten tablets a day.

“In 2011 after a spell in an intensive care unit of a German hospital I was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver caused by the diabetes eating away at my liver. Since that time I have been in and out of St Georges Hospital but thanks to the skill and dedication of the doctors and consultants things are stabilising

“Diabetes if not controlled can have a severe impact on other areas of the body. I regularly have my feet checked to make sure that I have not lost feeling in that area. At the opposite end of the body I also have my eyes checked regularly. There is nothing more effective in persuading you of the need to check regularly when you attend the diabetic clinic and see amputees and others who have lost their sight or both.

“It has brought home to me the need for regular check-ups. Things can change very quickly. If in doubt seek the advice of your GP. Don't put it off. If you are in the high risk group, change your diet and take more exercise. You will lose weight and feel better for it.

“Diabetes can be fatal but it is controllable. The solution lies with you.”

People with diabetes cannot properly regulate the amount of sugar in their blood. Each week 15 people in Wandsworth are told they have diabetes. In a year that’s enough to fill 10 double decker buses. In all, 15,000 local people are living with the condition and another 25,000 are on the verge of getting it

If poorly managed, diabetes can lead to complications such as kidney, eye and heart problems and even amputations. But as many as 80 per cent of diabetes cases can be prevented and, with good management of the disease, those that do have it can lead normal lives.

The best ways to reduce the risk of diabetes are to eat well, move more and stop smoking. You may be eligible for free council-run exercise and weight management schemes and a Stop Smoking support service. For other local support available to help you live a healthier life visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/oneyou.

Anyone aged 40-74 who has not had a free NHS health check in the last five years and has not been diagnosed with diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease or stroke is advised to get one. Just ask your GP.

There’s also useful information on the disease at www.diabetes.org.uk and www.nhs.uk/diabetes.

Through the NHS in Wandsworth, a number of local courses can be accessed to equip people with the education and skills to manage their diabetes. Details of the DESMOND, DAFNE and BERTIE courses can be found in the education section of the Wandsworth Wellbeing Hub. The website also contains details of other self-management courses for people who are living with one or more long-term conditions.

The Clinical Lead of Wandsworth Clinical Commissioning Group’s, Diabetes Clinical Reference Group Dr Neil Bamford, said:
"Wandsworth also has a vibrant Diabetes Champions programme which aims to raise awareness of diabetes amongst Wandsworth residents. The Champions often present at various local forums and work with local organisations to raise awareness of type 2 diabetes, the risk factors and the signs and symptoms to look out for.

“We are currently preparing to train our second cohort of Champions, who will help us tackle this problem on a wider scale as we strive to reduce the number of diabetes cases in Wandsworth. If you would like to get in touch with the Diabetes Champions, please contact the Wandsworth Wellbeing Hub at waccg.wandsworthhub@nhs.net.”


November 14, 2016