Manipal Cure and Care (MCC) has taken a Route to Catch them Young, on Worlds Diabetes Day

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

November 14, 2009 is the most important day of the year for the over 250 million people with diabetes worldwide. World Diabetes Day draws attention to the global diabetes epidemic and the need for action to improve care, prevent the disease in those at risk and find a cure. Diabetes is a Global problem with devastating human, social and economic impact. Today more than 250 million people worldwide are living with diabetes. Each year another 7 million people develop diabetes.

In the present age children have a strong influence on their parents. At an early age books, movies, television and the Internet influence, how children think and act in a variety of ways. As a child grows the media influences become even more powerful. Children of today recognize branded products at an early age because they see them in the media. A parent said, "Her child recognizes the fast food chain logo by the age of three even though we never ate there, because of the commercial on television, this shows how evolved children of today have become and how fast they identify symbols of Modern living". Therefore it would be extremely useful to educate children about Diabetes, so that they can contribute to knowledge dissemination which would have an impact on early detection in the parents and the loved ones while arming them on the correct lifestyle for the future.

Children emotionally get affected when a parent suffers from diabetes. The disease puts a limitation on both physical as well as the mental contribution of a parent towards the well being of the child. The parent becomes tired and exhausted which then affects and weighs heavily on the child’s daily life. A parent with diabetes may express long-withheld emotions - sometimes chaotically. A diabetic parent displays severe mood swings, which adversely affects child psychologically. Diet restrictions on a Diabetic parents force them to abstain from sharing basic joys like eating sweets or ice cream with their children.

MCC’s Initiative on World Diabetes Day 2009

November 14th is India’s Children’s Day which also happens to be the World Diabetes Day. To harness the power of Children in fight against Diabetes, MCC has taken the initiative to disseminate knowledge on diabetes. MCC’s innovative concept envisions Monster D (Diabetes) as a symbol of the dreaded Diabetes. It will be the medium to fire the imagination of the Children to acquire knowledge which could prevent the disease or its complications. This enlightened group of kids would be the part of the movement called Diabetes Defense Force (DDF) which will carry the information, spreading awareness and allowing people at risk to avail services to screen and be prepared to fight the ravages of the Diabetes. MCC would be going to schools and apartments near the MCC centre of the age group of 5-12 yrs, explaining these kids the basics of hygiene and would expose them to after effects of diabetes if anyone of their parents is affected by it. MCC a Preventive Healthcare Company is educating these children at a very young age. As a company who practices and preaches "prevention is better than cure" are doing something path breaking, their aim to do something that creates a difference in people’s lives. MCC is taking a small step towards a healthier tomorrow.

About the theme: Diabetes in children

Type I diabetes is growing by 3% per year in children and adolescents, and at an alarming 6% per year among pre-school children. It is estimated that 70,000 children under 15 develop type 1 diabetes each year (200 children a day). Of the estimated 440,000 cases of type 1 diabetes in children worldwide, more than a quarter live in South-East Asia and more than a fifth in Europe. Type II diabetes was once seen as a disease of adults. Today, this type of diabetes is growing at alarming rates in children and adolescents. In the US, it is estimated that type 2 diabetes represents between 8 and 45% of new-onset diabetes cases in children depending on geographic location. Over a 20-year period, type 2 diabetes has doubled in children in Japan, so that it is now more common than type 1. In native and aboriginal children in North America and Australia, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes ranges from 1.3 to 5.3%. Source: Diabetes Atlas 3rd Edition, International Diabetes Federation.

Surveys in India have shown that Type II Diabetes has moved from the 4th decade to the 2nd and 3rd decade fuelled by the sedentary lifestyle and obesity.

We hope that this unique Defense Force would sow the first seeds of knowledge to make the country free from Diabetes.

About the MCC

Manipal Cure and Care is an initiative of Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG). Founded by the late Padmashree Dr. T.M.A. Pai in 1953, Manipal Education and Medical Group today stands tall with an enviable track record of success in the spheres of Healthcare, Education and Research nationally and internationally. Its operations are spread across India, Middle East and several Southeast Asian countries.

MCC offers a range of preventive, wellness, beauty products and services under one roof. It is the first to achieve the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International certification for customer safety & service quality in India.

MCC is the winner of the Most Admired Retailer of the year - Innovative Retail Concept, 2008 at Indian Retail Forum (IRF), the prestigious Golden Peacock Award for Innovative Product / Service Award - 2007 and Golden Peacock Innovation Award - 2008. www.manipalcureandcare.com.

charlotte.creado@gmail.com

Source: Manipal Group (Business Wire India)

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