Diabetic Society of Seychelles’ fundraising event a success |09 July 2018

The Diabetic Society of Seychelles organised a successful fund raising charity ball on Saturday June 30, 2018 at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort.

The ball featured the popular local band Amigos and the Breeze  Band along with some other singers.

Diabetes becomes one of the most common non-communicable killer disease alongside hypertension in our small country. The last study done in 2013 showed a prevalence of about 12% in our adult population, that means 12 in 100 Seychellois may have diabetes and many do not know that they have this disease! 

The Diabetic Society was formed in the year 2003 by the late K.D. Pillay also fondly known as Deenu with the main objectives of educating the public and creating awareness of diabetes and its related diseases; supporting and assisting diabetic patients in all perspectives; initiating, promoting and encouraging prevention, control and cure and acquiring and encouraging the distribution of information on diabetes and its related diseases.

The Diabetic Society also promotes and assists in training for its members.

The society has been doing a lot of contributions since then such as organising diabetic awareness walk with regular free diabetic/hypertensive and eye screening, supplying glucometers and accessories to the needy with diabetes, and organising diabetic training sessions for health professionals by inviting diabetic specialists from overseas, to name a few.

The chairperson of the Diabetic Society, Dr Murthy Pillay, pointed out that the fund raising was necessary so as to continue meeting the society’s objectives such as to conduct regular free diabetic and eye screening and also to implement its future plans such as bringing in a foot specialist from overseas to train our health personnel in managing a diabetic foot so as to save limbs of patients affected by this silent killer and bringing in special diet food suitable for diabetics.

Also present at the event were Minister for Health Jean-Paul Adam, chief executive of the Health Care Agency Dr Danny Louange, executive members of the Diabetic Society, Judge Bernardin Renaud and Mr Ramani.

Dr Louange pointed out that you don’t have to be a patient to be involved in this crusade. You could just be a concerned citizen to spread awareness about the tremendous burden this disease puts on our society. Since cure is difficult and nearly impossible, it is in our hands in prevention and control of the disease.

He further pointed out that there is substantial evidence that lifestyle changes such as achieving a healthy body weight and undertaking moderate physical activity can help prevent the development of Type 2 Diabetes and should be the initial intervention for all people at risk.

There were gift hampers presented to the elderly homes with glucometers and diabetic food by the Seychelles Centennial Women Lions Club and wheelchairs from the Diabetic Society for persons who have lost their legs due to diabetes.

The event ended up with lively hip-hop dance put up by the energetic kids of the Tropical Talent Dance Crew and of course Amigos and the Breeze Band enthralled those present with their music.

The accompanying photos show highlights of the evening.