Diabetes Tasmania celebrates 60 years …

Joyce Williams’ mother …

Diabetes Tasmania is celebrating a significant milestone, marking 60 years supporting the Tasmanian community.

As part of these important celebrations, Diabetes Tasmania is looking to the past to see progress made, and to the present, to cement the foundation for the community’s future health and wellbeing.

Diabetes Tasmania member Joyce Williams has lived with type one diabetes for 66 years, and is living proof that being diagnosed with diabetes is not a life sentence.

Ms Williams, who relocated from England to Huonville following retirement, attributes her long and healthy life with diabetes, to being diligent with her health and sticking to regimented routines.

“When I was first diagnosed at the age of 17 (now 83), I was admitted to hospital for three months, where I saw first-hand the pitfalls of not looking after yourself properly,” Ms Williams said.

“Living with diabetes today, bears no resemblance to how it was when I was first diagnosed in 1948.

“When I was discharged from hospital I was given a glass syringe, some needles and some insulin derived from animals.

“We had to keep the instruments immersed in methylated spirits and sterilise them in boiling water once a week. My mother was a nurse and periodically tested my glucose levels with different solutions, a Bunsen burner, test tubes and a long glass dropper tube.”

Diabetes Tasmania CEO Caroline Wells said that while science and technology had made enormous advances over the last 60 years which has significantly changed and improved how people live with diabetes, there was still much work to be done.

“We also still have much work to do with respect to increasing community awareness and understanding of the prevalence, impact and seriousness of all types of diabetes ,” Ms Wells said.

“Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease in Australia, with over 1.7 million Australians living with diabetes, and a further 280 Australians developing diabetes every day.

“In Tasmania alone, we have over 27,000 people diagnosed with diabetes, 10,000 people living with the disease but undiagnosed, and 45,000 Tasmanians at high risk – which equates to around 16 per cent of the state’s population.

“Diabetes Tasmania is very proud to be marking 60 years of service to our local communities through the provision of education and support services for those living with diabetes, advocacy at both an individual and government level and by working to raise awareness of diabetes and its impact.

“The organisation’s focus will always be on supporting those affected by diabetes, including families and carers, and educating the community because most importantly we want to lessen the impact of
diabetes. We want all Tasmanians to be aware of their level of risk, to see a reduction in avoidable hospitalisations for diabetes and for all Tasmanians with diabetes living well.

“Ultimately our focus yesterday, today and tomorrow is on the person with diabetes, this is at our organisation’s core.

“Diabetes is set to be the leading burden of disease by 2017 and is the epidemic of the 21st century and the biggest challenge confronting the Australian health system, we must see this change.

“As a member of Diabetes Australia, we call on governments to increase funding in both prevention programs and direct care for those living with diabetes.”

In addition to supporting people with diabetes the organisation has moved to a broader focus on empowering our community to better health. Being part of the Schools Triathlon Challenge and the City to Casino as a means of promoting healthy living for all Tasmanians is vitally important to our work.

Ms Wells said over the 60 years, the organisation had seen community attitudes towards diabetes change, however they wanted to see greater change.

Key events during the year such as National Diabetes Week and World Diabetes Day and national campaigns such as the Rethink Sugary Drinks campaign are great opportunities to leverage the message but we must continue to advocate at every opportunity to increase community awareness and understanding.

“Diabetes Tasmania also provides state-wide services such as the Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed (DESMOND) Program, Healthy Shopping Tours, The COACH Program, a free telephone health coaching program, camps for young people with diabetes as well as a plethora of online resources and awareness events such as Living Well with Diabetes, throughout the year.

“We want individuals to know their own level of risk, for people living with diabetes to live well and our communities to be healthy communities.”

For more information about diabetes or to contact Diabetes Tasmania, Tasmanians can call 1300 136 588 or visit www.diabetestas.org.au.