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Tuesday 14th November marked World Diabetes Day - a campaign which aims each year to raise awareness of this escalating condition. The Stephanie Marks Diabetes Appeal was thrilled to receive such positive feedback from its first 'testing day'. More than 200 million people worldwide have diabetes and many do not receive the care that they need.
A key objective for The Stephanie Marks Diabetes Appeal (a local charity formed in 2003 covering Middlesex and Surrey) is to not only educate us all as to the symptoms to watch for and how to self-manage the condition, but to raise funds to help provide a better service generally for our area. The charity held the first of its 'Diabetes Testing Days', sponsored by Bayer Healthcare and supported by Splenda, in the Elmsleigh Centre, Staines on the 14th November. Prior press activity attracted shoppers to the centre specifically to be tested as many felt they did not wish to trouble their GP for such a test.
It is estimated 3% of the local population currently have the condition, this figure rising to 5% by 2010. Diabetes affects all ages and many are not aware they have the condition, which can lead to long-term health problems if left undetected. With special testing monitors, Practice Nurses were able to test the level of glucose in the blood with a single prick to the finger, giving an immediate result - of the 120 tested, 5 were referred to their GP for further tests.
"We were delighted to support such a worthwhile event. In our experience one which offers an element of education to visitors to the centre and this proved to be no exception", explains Peter Miles, Centre Manager for the Elmsleigh Centre, Staines. "As the day was such a tremendous success with local shoppers, we will certainly look to work with the charity again over the coming months".
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