Run for diabetes: Boehringer Ingelheim supports ‘Life for a Child’ programme on World Diabetes Day

Today sees the culmination of weeklong activities at Boehringer Ingelheim aiming to raise awareness of the global diabetes epidemic, in support of WDD. Yesterday, over 450 employees participated in a 3km run in the knowledge that each kilometre completed would be convert into a monetary contribution to the IDF’s ‘Life for a Child’ programme.

“Diabetes affects over 360 million people worldwide and is likely to increase by 50% over the next 20 years, potentially reaching a figure close to 550 million people”, said Glyn Parkin, Corporate Vice President Metabolism at Boehringer Ingelheim. “We are committed supporters of the ‘Life for a Child’ programme, it is an excellent initiative which we are very happy to be assisting for the fourth consecutive year.”

The IDF’s ‘Life for a Child Programme’ is an international aid programme that provides life saving support to more than 10,000 children with diabetes in developing countries through fundraising and monetary contributions.1 The financial support from Boehringer Ingelheim will go directly to diabetes centres in these countries, enabling them to provide the ongoing clinical care and diabetes education children need to stay alive.

“We are extremely grateful for all contributions to the ‘Life for a Child’ programme”, said Dr Graham Ogle, General Manager of the IDF ‘Life for a Child’ Programme. “We estimate that 80-100,000 children and youths with diabetes around the world are in urgent need of assistance and we hope that with this programme, many of these disadvantaged children will receive the medical supplies, clinical treatment and diabetes education that they critically need.”

For the last 125 years Boehringer Ingelheim has been committed to improving the health and well-being of people worldwide. A great deal of importance is placed on promoting awareness of diabetes among its employees. In addition to the run for diabetes, Boehringer Ingelheim conducted a number of other awareness raising activities including; an internal communication campaign designed to increase the understanding of diabetes, corporate offices being lit up in blue lights as a visual statement of solidarity and serving special lunchtime menus with the opportunity to let employees test their blood sugar levels – all with the aim of promoting a healthy diet and active lifestyle for the prevention and control of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

About World Diabetes Day

WDD is celebrated every year on November 14. The WDD campaign is led by the IDF and its member associations. It engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness. World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the IDF and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses. The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public spotlight. This year’s WDD campaign marks the fourth year of a five year focus on “Diabetes Education and Prevention”.2

About Diabetes

An estimated 366 million people worldwide have diabetes.3 T2D is the most common type, accounting for an estimated 90% of all diabetes cases.4 Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body either does not properly produce, or use, the hormone insulin.5

References

1. International Diabetes Federation. Available at: www.idf.org/lifeforachild/the-programme
2. International Diabetes Federation. Available at: www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday/about
3. International Diabetes Federation. The Global Burden. IDF Diabetes Atlas. 2011(5th Edition).
4. World Health Organization: Fact Sheet No. 312 What is Diabetes?, 2010.
5. International Diabetes Federation. What is Diabetes? . IDF Diabetes Atlas. 2011(5th Edition).