Schedule for Diabetes Month Released

Lovette Griffith

Activities commemorating the international day of recognition for diabetes have been scheduled for the month of November.  Diabetes, otherwise known as the silent killer, is among the leading causes of death in Belize.  The national awareness campaign commences this Saturday in Belize City and will be spread across the coming weeks in other parts of the country.  Public Relations Officer for the Belize Diabetes Association, Lovette Griffith, outlined the itinerary for the upcoming events.

Lovette Griffith, PR Officer, Belize Diabetes Association

“In November, diabetes is recognized worldwide and the day is on the fourteenth so in Belize we do two weeks of activities.  On Saturday which is the first we’ll have a walk from Crystal Auto Rental on the Northern Highway or the Phillip Goldson Highway to ITVET compound.  The walk starts at six o’clock in the morning and then it finishes at around a quarter to nine.  It’s at a slow pace, we have people from all age range, we’re inviting Belizeans to come out, support your family member, a friend, a coworker.  Tee shirts are available at the office, the number is 203-3333 and then we move into awareness campaign within the schools and then the weekend of November eighth and ninth we have the Ride Across Belize of the diabetes ride-out.  We ride from Corozal to Belize City ITVET on Saturday.  The ride reaches maybe around one o’clock and then on Sunday we ride from San Ignacio to ITVET compound again.  It’s a ride, it’s not a race.  You have a bicycle and you feel like you want to put in a mile or two to support a friend, to increase your health, you’re welcome to come.  There is a registration fee, please call the office and then we go back into the awareness campaign where we visit rural schools and business offices on the fourteenth which is the Friday and that’s the international day of recognition.  We have a huge health fair going on.  This year we’ve tried to centralize the location so we could reach more people, especially people who work during their lunch hour so we’re doing that fair at the Battlefield Park and we invite everyone to come out.  We’ll have partnering agencies with us so you could get your HIV status, your blood pressure checked.  For your blood sugar if you want it checked please not that you should have fasted at least two hours before you get that blood sugar checked.”