By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
15-YEAR-OLD Tess Macartney is one of the many diabetes-sufferers that took part in National Diabetes Week in her effort to raise public awareness of the disease.
At the age of 10 Tess, a Youth Ambassador for the illness, was diagnosed with type one juvenile diabetes. Over the last five years, with the help of her mum Mairi-anne and her family, she has been learning to live with the chronic disease while raising awareness and spending time with other children affected by it.
Member for Holt Anthony Byrne met with Tess and her family last Wednesday to promote National Diabetes Week 2013.
“Tess and Mairi-anne are community champions who go above and beyond through difficult circumstances to address an important health challenge affecting people in the community,” said Mr Byrne.
To coincide with National Diabetes Week, 14 to 20 July, Diabetes Australia is launching a new campaign called The Face of Diabetes, to inform people of the continuing rise of the epidemic and its very significant financial implications. The initiative is also calling for the Australian Government to develop and implement a new National Diabetes Strategy.
Over two million Australian have pre-diabetes and are at high risk, while many more Australian are at medium risk of developing type two diabetes.
Diabetes Australia CEO Professor Greg Johnson said the public perception of diabetes risks was a major concern.
“280 Australians develop diabetes every day – nearly 100,000 Australians developed diabetes in the past year,” he said.
“The continuing rise of this epidemic and the high impact on everyday Australians cannot be ignored.”
For more information visit www.faceofdiabetes.org.au
