Youth Advocate for Diabetes Awareness

11 Jul 2006 08:37

Within 20 years the number of people living with diabetes is expected to grow from 230 million to 350 million globally. That growth is expected to have a devastating impact on youth.

Type 1 diabetes is rising at 3 percent a year in children and adolescents and type 2 is rising at alarming rates due to increased inactivity among youth. In order to increase diabetes awareness among youth and stem the epidemic, the International Diabetes Federation created a Youth Ambassadors Programme.

The Youth Ambassadors are a group of 25 young people with diabetes from around the world who were selected by IDF for their outstanding contributions to their communities, countries and regions in the area of diabetes advocacy. Their primary role is to serve as official advocates for passing the United Nations Resolution on diabetes, and to participate at many levels in the global diabetes awareness campaign ’Unite for Diabetes’.

In order to help the Youth Ambassadors with their mission, they will attend a Youth Leadership Workshop in Cape Town, South Africa from November 29 to December 3, 2006. They will also attend IDF’s 19th World Diabetes Congress from December 3 to 7 in Cape Town.

Youth must be involved in the fight against the diabetes epidemic. They are powerful advocates for diabetes and the perfect ambassadors to bring global awareness to the disease. Youth can and will make a difference.

Meet the 25 Youth Ambassadors and to find out how to get involved.

More recent news:

World Diabetes Day proclaimed in Chicago (08/08/2007)
Diabetes Lights up Empire State Building (17/07/2007)
Unite for Diabetes, Inspired by Diabetes (17/07/2007)
Gulf States pledge to make diabetes a priority (17/07/2007)
Meeting the Geocaching Challenge! (08/06/2007)
Unite for Diabetes bugs take the world by storm! (01/03/2007)
Resolution is turning point in fight against diabetes (21/12/2006)
UN Resolution Caps Momentous Year for Diabetes World (21/12/2006)
G77 support a UN Resolution on diabetes (06/12/2006)
Diabetes circles take over Cape Town (06/12/2006)

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