THE weekly fundraiser held in front of Pick n Pay by the King William’s Town Lions Club took on another dimension on Saturday when people were offered free diabetes screening.
Dozens of people grabbed the opportunity and got screened by Breidbach Clinic nurse Sister Brazie Genade. She was accompanied by health promoter Rayline Arends and committee chairman Desmond Coetzee.
The event was held in celebration of World Diabetes Day on November 14.
The day was launched in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is the primary global awareness campaign in response to the rapid rise of diabetes around the world.
The theme this year is “Women and Diabetes – Our Right to a Healthy Future”.
Former Lions Club secretary Susan Hagens said as an international organisation the Lions have a mandate to stage the World Diabetes Day event.
“We were mandated by our international structure to stage the event before November 14 and we are over the moon at how everything fell in place perfectly,” Hagens said.
“Our partnership with Breidbach Clinic is strengthening in volumes day by day and we are tremendously privileged and blessed for their presence in assisting us with the awareness campaign.”
Her husband and past King Lions president Ulrich Hagens said they intend to stage similar initiatives in the future. “We will try to have at least three more similar events in the near future,” he said.
Genade said the event received overwhelming support.
“Adults and children from all races lined up to be tested.
“Everybody cooperated and were really interested to know their sugar levels. There were three cases of adults showing a very high level whom we referred to the nearest doctor,” Genade said.
Coetzee commended the initiative by the Lions and mentioned it was a privilege for Breidbach Clinic to assist.
“We are very close partners and the successful soup kitchen ran by the Lions at the clinic is testimony to the good relationship we have had over the past two years,” he said.
“Breidbach Clinic will also aim to stage a similar event on November 30 at the local community hall to create a powerful voice for diabetes awareness and advocacy through educational speeches followed by meals.”
