# Diabetes Week 2016 Sunday 12 June to Saturday 18 June 2016



## Northerner (Jun 9, 2016)

Just about everyone has heard about diabetes. And, with 3.5 million people diagnosed in the UK and a further 549,000 who have the condition but don't yet know it, most of us know a friend or family member living with diabetes. And yet it’s still hugely misunderstood, and there are so many myths and misconceptions out there that this year, the theme is Setting the record straight. 

This Diabetes Week we’ll be calling on everyone we know to share straight talking stories, facts and videos to let everyone know the truth about diabetes. 

We’ll be focusing on what it’s actually like to live with it every day and talking about the things people with diabetes wish everyone knew about living with the condition. 

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Diabetes-Week/?gclid=CMuQv-T7ms0CFRIUGwodyvcFfQ

Anyone doing anything special for Diabetes Week this year?


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## Stitch147 (Jun 9, 2016)

I might put some info up in the office on the noticeboad that I use for the health and wellbeing stuff that i do. I know that there are a few diabetics that work in the same place as me.


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## Northerner (Jun 9, 2016)

Stitch147 said:


> I might put some info up in the office on the noticeboad that I use for the health and wellbeing stuff that i do. I know that there are a few diabetics that work in the same place as me.


Good opportunity to publicise the forum Stitch!


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## stephknits (Jun 9, 2016)

I'm doing DAFNE!


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## HOBIE (Jun 9, 2016)

That's why I became a "Risk Asser " for Duk


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## Copepod (Jun 10, 2016)

I'll be getting up early on Sun 12th June, so that I can get to volunteer at Swim Start from 6am, at World Series Triathlon in Roundhay Park, Leeds. I'll need to get away in time to set up introductory orienteering, among Civil War re-enactment camp, with canon, at Middleton Park. I doubt that anyone will have any reason to notice that I have diabetes, as everyone volunteering has been briefed to have sweets and cereal bars in their pockets, plus bottles of drink.


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## HOBIE (Jun 11, 2016)

Copepod said:


> I'll be getting up early on Sun 12th June, so that I can get to volunteer at Swim Start from 6am, at World Series Triathlon in Roundhay Park, Leeds. I'll need to get away in time to set up introductory orienteering, among Civil War re-enactment camp, with canon, at Middleton Park. I doubt that anyone will have any reason to notice that I have diabetes, as everyone volunteering has been briefed to have sweets and cereal bars in their pockets, plus bottles of drink.


Hi Copepod, well done !  I have done two electrical re-wires very near Roundhay.  Travelling from N.E. at 6am & getting back 11.30pm. And that was just last year. .  It sounds good what you are doing


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## Copepod (Jun 11, 2016)

Despite officially being in Roundhay Park to look after lost children (there weren't any today), I was pretty busy, promoting activities in parks, particularly orienteering, which I teach, and playing Ping table tennis on a mobile table, and guarding the staff rest area to stop members of public wandering in. Audio technicians were busy with lots of wiring. Worked 8am to 6pm today, with 30 mins drive and 10 mins walk each way. Starting volunteering at 6am tomorrow, then working elsewhere 12 noon to 5pm. Will relax on Sun night, after preparing for Monday's work!


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## HOBIE (Jun 12, 2016)

Well done !


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## HOBIE (Jun 12, 2016)

Well done Copepod


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## Copepod (Jun 12, 2016)

Thanks Hobie. A tad tired now, after getting up at 4:35am, leaving home at 5:10am and getting home at 5:15pm. Fed cat, mouse and myself, prepared papers for work tomorrow. Will be asleep soon!


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## AndBreathe (Jun 13, 2016)

My local DUK group is operating a stand/area in our local (fairly large; coach parties visit) garden centre, daily from yesterday until next Saturday.  I'm "doing" a (my first ever) session tomorrow, then if that goes OK, I may be able to fit another session in later in the week.  It takes a few folks to cover the area for the whole day for the duration, so there are a fair few involved.

Thankfully, our group is very successful, in terms of member numbers and funds raised.  None of that is anything to do with me, but just needs to be acknowledged when I can.  

The only downside is, whenever I go to this particular garden centre, it ends up being expensive.  I'm currently coveting a couple of ginagerous planters, and the butcher in the broader retail area is quite superb, so I'll be (expensively) well nourished to get over being on my feet.


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## HOBIE (Jun 13, 2016)

& well done Andbreath for getting involved. (ps don't spend much on duty )


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## Martin Canty (Jun 13, 2016)

Copepod said:


> Despite officially being in Roundhay Park to look after lost children


Ah, Roundhay Park..... Spent many a summers day there with my Grandparents (they lived in Harrogate)

Our S&R team runs Lost Children booths for some town events, can be a little challenging at times..... Conversation with a 4 year old....
" What's your name?" - "Johnny"
"What's your Mommy's name?" - "Mommy"
groan...... Not again!


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## Copepod (Jun 13, 2016)

Martin Canty said:


> Ah, Roundhay Park..... Spent many a summers day there with my Grandparents (they lived in Harrogate)
> 
> Our S&R team runs Lost Children booths for some town events, can be a little challenging at times..... Conversation with a 4 year old....
> " What's your name?" - "Johnny"
> ...



Agree with your groans - parents really should teach their children to know their full name, perhaps even date of birth as a check, but only to give it to people who need to know eg officials in uniform. 
I'm happy to report that we had no lost children on Saturday, and my colleague who covered Sunday said there were no lost children then, either. However, there were problems with age group athletes' bags (containing street clothes, money, phones, etc) not being transported from Roundhay Park to city centre, and then being told to collect from Roundhay, but with no way of getting there, as they had no money, phones, maps etc, and information about free shuttle buses wasn't easy to obtain. So, many spent several uncomfortable hours after finishing their races, and missed watching the elite races in the afternoon.


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## Martin Canty (Jun 13, 2016)

Copepod said:


> Agree with your groans - parents really should teach their children to know their full name


Long gone are the days when we could just line the kids up & tell the parents to pick the ones they want!!!!!


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## HOBIE (Jun 13, 2016)

Martin Canty said:


> Ah, Roundhay Park..... Spent many a summers day there with my Grandparents (they lived in Harrogate)
> 
> Our S&R team runs Lost Children booths for some town events, can be a little challenging at times..... Conversation with a 4 year old....
> " What's your name?" - "Johnny"
> ...


Made me smile .  I saw U2 in Roundhay park when I was in my 20s. A good day out


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## Northerner (Jun 14, 2016)

AndBreathe said:


> My local DUK group is operating a stand/area in our local (fairly large; coach parties visit) garden centre, daily from yesterday until next Saturday.  I'm "doing" a (my first ever) session tomorrow, then if that goes OK, I may be able to fit another session in later in the week.  It takes a few folks to cover the area for the whole day for the duration, so there are a fair few involved.
> 
> Thankfully, our group is very successful, in terms of member numbers and funds raised.  None of that is anything to do with me, but just needs to be acknowledged when I can.
> 
> The only downside is, whenever I go to this particular garden centre, it ends up being expensive.  I'm currently coveting a couple of ginagerous planters, and the butcher in the broader retail area is quite superb, so I'll be (expensively) well nourished to get over being on my feet.


Hope everything goes well today @AndBreathe !  Well done!


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## Bloden (Jun 14, 2016)

Well, it'll be on Sunday 19th, and it's for breast cancer, and it's more of a personal challenge than a magnanimous gesture aimed at diabetic people in general, but...I've entered the Gijon "Carrera de la Mujer" with a bunch of mates - it's 5.5 km, and we're walking (not running), and I suspect our mouths will get more exercise than our legs (we're a bunch of chatterboxes!).  It may not seem like much, but ever since dx I've gradually done less and less exercise cos of fear of hypos, which is VERY frustrating because I love being in the great outdoors - swimming, hiking, cycling, etc etc. Wish me luck!


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## Northerner (Jun 14, 2016)

Bloden said:


> Well, it'll be on Sunday 19th, and it's for breast cancer, and it's more of a personal challenge than a magnanimous gesture aimed at diabetic people in general, but...I've entered the Gijon "Carrera de la Mujer" with a bunch of mates - it's 5.5 km, and we're walking (not running), and I suspect our mouths will get more exercise than our legs (we're a bunch of chatterboxes!).  It may not seem like much, but ever since dx I've gradually done less and less exercise cos of fear of hypos, which is VERY frustrating because I love being in the great outdoors - swimming, hiking, cycling, etc etc. Wish me luck!


Good luck!  I hope you have a great time!


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## AndBreathe (Jun 15, 2016)

Northerner said:


> Hope everything goes well today @AndBreathe !  Well done!



It was actually fun, and I'm doing another session on Friday.

I spoke with a very nice young T1, diagnosed 3 years ago, who relatively recently discovered the ketotic way of eating.  Knowing what the response should be, I asked what he had found the benefits to be, and he reeled them all off;  using fractions of his earlier insulin doses, increased insulin sensitivity, clarity of thinking, fewer hypos and just feeling great.  I would have loved to just have him stay and shout that out, but, he was actually there to service the fire extinguishers.

He had happened upon his ketotic diet in isolation and he finds his HCPs very resistant, even in the face of significantly improved HbA1cs, and all other markers.

Hey ho.  Can't win 'em all, but the times are changing,............... slowly.


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## Bloden (Jun 15, 2016)

Northerner said:


> Good luck!  I hope you have a great time!


Thanks, Northener.  Bit nervous, tbh. But if I do it, I feel I'll send myself an important message: I can do anything. My cousin's 9-year-old was back competing - and winning (she's regional champ) - in swimming competitions 1 month after her diagnosis, so I should stop being a big girl's blouse about it! Good luck ev1 else with your endeavours.


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## Bloden (Jun 15, 2016)

AndBreathe said:


> It was actually fun, and I'm doing another session on Friday.
> 
> I spoke with a very nice young T1, diagnosed 3 years ago, who relatively recently discovered the ketotic way of eating.  Knowing what the response should be, I asked what he had found the benefits to be, and he reeled them all off;  using fractions of his earlier insulin doses, increased insulin sensitivity, clarity of thinking, fewer hypos and just feeling great.  I would have loved to just have him stay and shout that out, but, he was actually there to service the fire extinguishers.
> 
> ...



How interesting, AndBreathe. Had to larf that he was there to do a job, not join in. Have fun Friday.


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## AndBreathe (Jun 15, 2016)

Bloden said:


> How interesting, AndBreathe. Had to larf that he was there to do a job, not join in. Have fun Friday.



To be fair, I hadn't quite kidnapped him.  We were positions just beyond the tills, near the exit, so as well as mindful donations, we ended up with a number of people's rattling change.  It all adds up.  

Anyway, anyway,.......  There was a real downpour, so nobody was leaving (  ), and he struck up conversation.  He had clearly worked very hard to graps control of his situation, without feeling supported in his dietary choices.  He had never seen the Libre and was astonished by how it worked (I wonder if I could get commission!?!).  Very pleasant young man.  A credit to his mother.


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## HOBIE (Jun 15, 2016)

Bloden said:


> Well, it'll be on Sunday 19th, and it's for breast cancer, and it's more of a personal challenge than a magnanimous gesture aimed at diabetic people in general, but...I've entered the Gijon "Carrera de la Mujer" with a bunch of mates - it's 5.5 km, and we're walking (not running), and I suspect our mouths will get more exercise than our legs (we're a bunch of chatterboxes!).  It may not seem like much, but ever since dx I've gradually done less and less exercise cos of fear of hypos, which is VERY frustrating because I love being in the great outdoors - swimming, hiking, cycling, etc etc. Wish me luck!


Good luck Bloden


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## Bloden (Jun 16, 2016)

HOBIE said:


> Good luck Bloden


Cheers, Hobie.


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## AndBreathe (Jun 23, 2016)

Last night was my local DUK Group meeting.  During the meeting it was announced that the can collections at the local garden centre, over 5 days of the week raised just under £700.  I was pleasantly gobsmacked.  I know we were steady during the couple of sessions I did, but the total is amazing.

It just goes to show there is great public goodwill towards diabetes and also highlighted to me just how many diabetics there are around the place.

I do hope other groups achieved comparable amounts, or more.


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## Northerner (Jun 23, 2016)

AndBreathe said:


> Last night was my local DUK Group meeting.  During the meeting it was announced that the can collections at the local garden centre, over 5 days of the week raised just under £700.  I was pleasantly gobsmacked.  I know we were steady during the couple of sessions I did, but the total is amazing.
> 
> It just goes to show there is great public goodwill towards diabetes and also highlighted to me just how many diabetics there are around the place.
> 
> I do hope other groups achieved comparable amounts, or more.


That's fantastic!  Well done to everyone involved


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## Martin Canty (Jun 23, 2016)

AndBreathe said:


> highlighted to me just how many diabetics there are around the place


They just kinda crawl out of the woodwork..... People look astounded when I mention the fact that 1 in 9 of the (US) population is diabetic....


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## Northerner (Jun 23, 2016)

Martin Canty said:


> They just kinda crawl out of the woodwork..... People look astounded when I mention the fact that 1 in 9 of the (US) population is diabetic....


...and I think I read that around 85m are on the cusp/pre-diabetic


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