by Rondell Grant
On Monday, November 14, 2011, the Montserrat Diabetes Association ( MDA) celebrated its sixth anniversary and World Diabetes Day (WDD) under the theme “Diabetes Education and Prevention” with the slogan “Act on Diabetes Now”
The MDA held several activities from Sunday, November 13 to November 23, to commemorate its anniversary. The activities included a church service, a walk for diabetes, a fund raising breakfast and blood glucose screening, its annual general meeting and a Diabetes Symposium.
Mrs. Valerie Lewis - Lynch
In a radio message on World Diabetes Day president of MDA, Mrs. Valerie Lewis-Lynch said the slogan message, ‘Act on diabetes is an urgent call to all who are responsible for diabetes care to do all that is in their power to control this condition that has now become an epidemic. “It is an urgent call to persons with diabetes, health professionals, the government and the general public,” she emphasised.
Hon. Victor James
Mrs. Lynch called on everyone to be responsible. “The future of diabetes lies in our hands and therefore the outcome depends solely on us. If we do nothing, diabetes will overwhelm our healthcare system, impact negatively on our country’s economic growth and development and we will have an even bigger problem on our hands tomorrow,” she pleaded.
At its Annual General Meeting held at Look Out Community the MDA elected a new executive. Valerie Lewis-Lynch and Mrs. Agatha Aspin were re-elected President and Vice President respectively. Other elections were: Mr. William Silcott retained the post of Treasurer. Mr. James White Jnr., Secretary; Mrs. Naomie Foster Assistant Secretary/Treasurer; Mrs. Catherine Buffonge was elected as Public Relations Officer. Meanwhile, Miss. Catherine Daley, Miss Maunelva Taylor, Mrs Gwendolyn White-Ryan and Major Joseph Lynch were elected as floor members. Miss Althea Wade is the Immediate Past President.
Nutrition Officer Miss Maunelva Taylor
Presenting her annual report at the AGM Mrs. Lynch told the audience the period under review (2010 – 2011) has been an eventful one, in which the association continued its effort to achieve its objectives. She noted that the main purpose during that period was to educate the public about diabetes and enabled those with the condition to effectively manage it. She said that one of the ways the MDA was able to meet its objectives was through the dissemination of information on diabetes prevention and management on its weekly radio programme ‘Keeping Well with Diabetes.’
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Micheal Owen
But, the highlight of the period under review was the addition of a new dimension to MDA Outreach Education Programme in which the MDA introduced a diabetes self-management course. “This course was necessary because of the increasing prevalence of diabetes and its complications which is an indication that self-management was an issue. The purpose of the course therefore was to improve the participant’s knowledge and coping skill, strengthen their daily self-management skills and improve their nutritional health and overall quality of life,” the president explained, adding that participants were carefully selected for the course, which was conducted by a team of health care professionals.
Food serving sizes
Mrs. Lynch said the diabetes self-management course could not have been possible without the collaboration of the Montserrat Social Security fund which provided funding for both courses. She said the Social Security also sponsored screening sessions in August at the beginning at their anniversary session. Mrs. Lynch thanked the Montserrat Social Security Fund for their continue support over the years and Radio Montserrat for hosting the programme “Keeping Well with Diabetes”. She urged the community to unite to stop diabetes.
The week of activities concluded with the Diabetes Symposium held at the Brades Art and Education Centre. The speakers were: Hon. Victor James, Nutrition Officer, Miss Maunelva Taylor and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Micheal Owen.
