East Lancashire Diabetes Awareness Campaign sends 82 to doctor (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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East Lancashire Diabetes Awareness Campaign sends 82 to doctor
3:00pm Wednesday 22nd August 2012 in News
HEALTHY TIPS Gordon Dixon, of the Ribble Valley Diabetic Group and Christopher Smedley at the roadshow held in Accrington
A NEW campaign aimed at tackling a growing trend in diabetes cases has started.
East Lancashire Diabetes Awareness Campaign, a joint effort between Diabetes UK, East Lancashire PCT and Blackburn with Darwen PCT, started with a Healthy Lifestyle Roadshow in Broadway, Accrington, offering diabetes risk assessments.
Diabetes UK volunteers assessed 156 people at the drop-in event, referring 82 to a GP after determining they faced a high risk of developing the disease.
Among those attending was Marjorie Williams, 77, of Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle, who said the risks of diabetes had not worried her before.
She said: “When you’re getting older you can never be too careful, so that’s why I went in.
“I was told I have a moderate risk of diabetes so I’m going to have to be careful. In my younger days my waist was 22 inches, but when your ageing you put weight on and that’s one of the risks. I will have to eat more sensibly from now on.”
Anne Davies, aged 63, from Kirkmere Close, Clitheroe, said: “I’ve never worried about diabetes really, but when you get to 50 or 60 your risk goes up so that’s why I came in.”
Dr Tom Mackenzie, diabetic clinical lead for East Lancashire PCT, said: “The numbers have been going up for 10 years in this area, and now the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is six per cent. One of the reasons for this is lifestyle, and there are things people can change.”
Dr Mackenzie said events like the roadshow were vital to reach people who would otherwise not consider the risks of the disease.
Other roadshow events will happen in St James Street, Burnley, opposite the Red Lion Pub, on September 3 and 4 and Market Square, Nelson on September 20 and 21, both between 9am and 5pm.
A Blackburn event is also being planned.
