Prominent New Zealanders and students unite for diabetes

Brian Edwards and a number of prominent New Zealanders will help launch the new interactive website for Diabetes NZ Auckland on October 15. The event will be held at St Paul Street Gallery and will feature an exhibition by renowned Kiwi artist Colin McCahon.

The new website will present recipes, exercise and nutritional advice from some of New Zealand’s favourite celebrities. It is part of a project developed by a group of AUT students to raise awareness about diabetes particularly among young New Zealanders.

Catherine Slogrove, one of five communication students in the team, says, “This website is all about showing younger New Zealanders how to live a healthy lifestyle. It is a fun and interactive way to connect with young people in their language and on their terms”.

Through raising awareness of the conditionamong the next generation, Diabetes Auckland hopes to curb the rapidly increasing number of people developing diabetes every year.

John Denton, general manager of Diabetes Auckland, says, “Health researchers predict that by 2020 more than half a million New Zealanders will have diabetes. It is our largest health problem and we urgently need to take action break the cycle of the disease within our communities."

On the updated website, there is a quick and easy ‘take the test’ so that people of all ages can get an idea of their level of risk for getting diabetes.

Diabetes Auckland provides support and education to people with diabetes and their families throughout an area from Waiuku to Warkworth. The organisation receives no government funding and is financed entirely by donations from the public.