LONDON, Nov 13, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) —
On 14 November, World Diabetes Day, JDRF, the world’s leading type 1
diabetes research charity is announcing the results of its competition,
giving sixty adults and children with type 1 diabetes the chance to
attend the ‘Type 1 Parliament’ lobbying event taking place in
Westminster on 25 April 2012. The charity’s Chief Executive Karen
Addington, Adrian Sanders MP and Caroline Horwood, Diabetes Division
Director at Sanofi met in Parliament to shortlist 60 adults and children
who will have the opportunity to speak out about the issues and
challenges they face through living with the condition to MPs and
government officials. Visit
our website for a picture of the group outside Parliament.(1)
Adrian Sanders MP Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for
diabetes is passionate about pushing type 1 diabetes up the political
agenda. As a person living with type 1 diabetes, Adrian understands the
reality of living with the condition. Caroline Nokes MP and Philip Dunne
MP are also supporting the event. Caroline’s husband has type 1 diabetes
and Philip’s daughter lives with the condition. Healthcare company
Sanofi is Platinum Sponsor of type 1 Parliament.
The judges looked through over 200 applications and chose people
who have shown dedication to raising awareness of the condition and a
passion for encouraging greater investment into research of type 1. On
World Diabetes Day and in the run up to type 1 Parliament next April,
JDRF is encouraging all those affected by type 1 diabetes to make a
difference by raising awareness of type 1.
Thirteen-year-old George Dove from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire has
been chosen as co-chair of the lobbying event. George works tirelessly
to spread the word about what it’s like living with type 1 diabetes. He
was recently named Nottingham’s Young Person of the Year and since
becoming involved with the charity has raised a staggering GBP 35,000 to
support research into the condition. Having spoken publicly about living
with type 1 diabetes and why he supports JDRF in his mission to find the
cure, George is well equipped to co-chair the type 1 Parliament event.
When finding out he has a place to attend the event, he said: “I am so
excited to be representing JDRF at the Type 1 Parliament event, I feel
really privileged. This is such a fantastic opportunity; to have a voice
at this kind of event is amazing. I just hope Parliament listens and
together, hopefully, we can make a difference.”
Sixteen year old Amy Wilton from Fareham, Hampshire will join
George as Co-Chair of the event. Amy is a T1 Youth Ambassador who has
represented JDRF by speaking at many of the charity’s events including
research Discovery Days and Walks to Cure Diabetes. Amy’s family does
the Walk to Cure Diabetes each year too. Her mother Carole also plucked
up the courage and participated in a sponsored sky dive with a friend to
raise money to support JDRF’s vital research into finding the cure.
Finally, in 2009 Amy travelled to Washington DC to be part of JDRF’s US
Children’s Congress as the UK delegate.
She said: I was honoured to be asked to be Co-Chair of such a high
profile event by JDRF and I am extremely excited about it. I hope that
in doing so we can prove to the Government that more money needs to be
put aside for research into finding a cure for type 1 diabetes, as well
as raising awareness of the condition. Which surprisingly few people
know little about still. I am really looking forward to April and having
our say on the issue in the hope to change the opinions of the MPs, and
to also meeting everyone else who has been invited to come to Parliament
too.”
Over the last few years, JDRF has successfully built awareness of type 1
diabetes and JDRF’s political presence within Westminster and the
devolved administrations, campaigning on the postcode lottery on the
provision of insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors and advocating
the importance of funding medical research of type 1. In 2009 the UK
Government, through the funding bodies Medical Research Council and
National Institute of Health Research committed GBP 51 million to research
to tackle the growing problem of diabetes. Of this only GBP 6 million(2)
was applicable to type 1 diabetes. The UK falls way behind other
developed countries, JDRF believes that this needs to change. Not only
will greater investment in research ensure we find the cure for type 1
diabetes as soon as possible, it could also bring significant advantages
to the UK economy.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors
About type 1 diabetes
—
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic, life-threatening condition that has a
life-long impact on those diagnosed with it and their families. JDRF
exists to find the cure for type 1 diabetes.
—
People with type 1 diabetes rely on multiple insulin injections or
pump infusions every day just to stay alive, until we find the cure.
—
It normally strikes children and stays with them for the rest of their
lives.
—
Type 1 diabetes affects about 350,000 people in the UK, 26,000 of them
children.
—
Type 1 diabetes reduces life expectancy by up to 20 years.
About JDRF
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation exists to find the cure for type 1
diabetes and its complications, and is the world’s leading charitable
funder of type 1 diabetes research. At a global level JDRF volunteers
and staff have been responsible for raising over GBP 900 million to support
type 1 diabetes research since the charity’s inception.
www.jdrf.org.uk
(1) Photography Copyright of Dominic Clemence
(2) Figure is referenced from a letter received from Baroness
Thornton on 12 April 2010, then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
at the Department for Health
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50065972lang=en
SOURCE: JDRF
For further information or to request interviews please contact:
JDRF
Louisa Sampson, Press Officer
0207 841 3625
or email lsampson@jdrf.org.uk
High-resolution pictures are available
Copyright Business Wire 2011
