The Old Library Trust was delighted to be involved in the newly established Western Diabetes group to support all local people living with any type of Diabetes.

Mayor of Derry and Strabane to Launch Western Diabetes Group During National Diabetes Awareness Week – Derry and Strabane, 10th June 2024 , –

Derry and Strabane District Council’s newly appointed Mayor Lilian Seenoi Barr held a reception in the Guildhall on Monday, 10th June 2024 to launch the recently formed Western Diabetes Group. This event coincides with National Diabetes Awareness Week, during which a series of roadshows will be held in local community venues throughout the WHSCT to raise awareness about the risks associated with Diabetes.  The DCSDC Council Offices and the Alley Theatre in Strabane will also be illuminated in blue to draw attention to the issue of Diabetes within our population.

National Diabetes Awareness Week presents an ideal opportunity to officially launch the Western Diabetes Group who are working to reduce the levels of all types of diabetes and provide better support to those people living with the condition.

Coordinated by Developing Healthy Communities as part of the Derry and Strabane Healthy Cities initiative, the group’s members are drawn from a range of agencies including the Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT), GP Federation, Ulster University, DCSDC, the NI Public Health Agency. Diabetes UK, JDRF (Type 1 Diabetes), the Healthy Living Centre Alliance, to name but a few. Several local councillors from the DCSDC Health Committee also attended the event.

The group has been established in response to the concerning levels of diabetes within the WHSCT area.  According to a spokesperson for the Western Diabetes group, nearly 18,000 people in the Western Trust area are living with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, approximately 11,500 individuals are registered with prediabetes. Many people are unaware of the signs, symptoms, and risks of diabetes, and accessing specialised healthcare support can be challenging due to pressures on primary and secondary health services. However, there are opportunities to collaborate with local community organisations to support diabetes prevention and management. Involving patients and carers in educating healthcare providers and others about living well with diabetes is also crucial.

The Western Diabetes Group will work with individuals living with all forms of diabetes, aiming to reduce the incidence and impact of the condition through engagement with local agencies and communities, awareness raising and delivery of prevention and wellbeing programmes and support. Mayor Seenoi Barr commented ‘I am delighted to launch the Western Diabetes Group and commend the various agencies for coming together to tackle this very serious and complex condition.   I have no doubt that the collective expertise, knowledge and skills of the Western Diabetes Group will make a positive difference to halting the rise of diabetes within our population’.