Type 1 diabetes

As the authentic global voice of diabetes, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has achieved much in fixing diabetes firmly on the international political agenda. Diabetes and other Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) are now recognised as leading threats to development in the 21^st century and to the success of the United Nations’ ambition to eradicate poverty.

Welcome to this, the second issue of Diabetes Voice for 2013. It has some new features. Let me tell you about them.
 

Incidence. Prevalence. Risk factors. Outcomes. We hear these words frequently in relation to diabetes and their impact on our world, but are we learning how certain patterns, and trends are associated with the global diabetes epidemic? Are we able to see the big picture, which now totals more than 371 million people living with diabetes worldwide?

Targeting today’s most contemporary issues, the Basic and Clinical Science Stream may provide this year’s Congress with the biggest buzz, especially in areas of obesity, diabetes complications and new treatment strategies. A range of provocative topics including debates about driving type 2 diabetes prevention and bariatric surgery will be presented. Noteworthy speakers will discuss new treatment options for both types of diabetes and present the latest results of clinical trials. Mark Cooper and Sophia Zoungas talk about the exciting programme this year.

João Valente Nabais, President of the IDF European Region and development lead for the Living with Diabetes Stream, is passionate about the 2013 Melbourne programme. Living with type 1 diabetes since 1981, João has been an active diabetes advocate ever since his youth. This year, LWD delivers a unique opportunity for people to become inspired and work on realising dreams.

Helen Clark, Administrator of the UN Development Programme, reflects on the development agenda post-2015 and explains how better prevention and care of Non-communicable Diseases fit into her vision for a broader development goal thereby decreasing the threat NCDs pose to progress.

Professor Bong Yun Cha, Chairman of the Korean Diabetes Association and Dr. Touch Khun, Chief of Diabetology at the Preah Kossamak Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia report on the exciting partnership reflected in the IDF’s Association Twinning Initiative. Learn how people living with diabetes in Cambodia are getting extra help for better care by virtue of the first and more significantly, the second, Cambodia-Korea Twinning Project.

As a means of representing relevant issues to the diabetes community, Diabetes Voice will be providing a forum in which experts can examine controversial issues and provide an argument supporting their point of view. The low carbohydrate debate marks the first in a series of many more to come.
 

Voices of type 1 diabetes is a new Diabetes Voice instalment reflecting the personal burden of diabetes in society. This new series will present individual stories from all over the world and provide an opportunity to appreciate different perspectives about life with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In this first edition, voices from the type 1 diabetes community share their thoughts about every day life beyond diagnosis.
 

There is nothing ordinary about Josu Feijoo, a 47-year-old mountaineer from Vitoria, in the Basque Country – except perhaps that like millions of people around the world he has type 1 diabetes. He lives by his own maxim: the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. A glance at his curriculum tells us that Josu has had more than a few dreams, and he has believed in them enough to transform them into reality.