We welcome you to our silver lining
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS, by modern-day trends, is almost two generations, and to have stuck with the hosting of an international conference for that long, deserves more than just a silver recognition, rather a heartfelt commendation to all of us who’ve stuck to the mill. Each year, the anxiety, the uncertainty, and the expectations rise and fall and only settle on the last day of conference.
If it were not for the stable and confident hands of Thornia Smith, the late Veron McLeary, Kushan Amarakoon,
Shelly McFarlane, Fay Whitbourne-Morrison, Jean Shaw, Al Reece and many more, we would not have persevered.
An interesting phenomenon is the gradual changing of the guard as we now have Drs Donna Braham and Al Bailey driving the academic content Dr Cliff Riley anchoring the publication aspects and a young team of information technology specialists underpinning the overall production.
The only wobbly aspect is the financial support, and really, it is more the love of the topic that has kept us all going, and continue we must.
This year’s focus on the heart recognises the universal acceptance of the causative link between diabetes and heart dysfunction. With diabetes, so common and increasing amongst our youth, a red flag must be raised for our younger generation, and we hope to attract to this conference many students not only of diabetes, in particular; but of life in general and to alert them to the need to be aware of the lifestyles which precipitate adverse and unwanted outcomes in this and other related non-communicable diseases.
Over the years, we have examined various themes in relation to the diabetes story. The environmental influences, the dysfunction of the organs of the body and the imbalance in their functions, have long been under scrutiny and now scientific and technological advances are allowing us to study the condition at the nano or molecular level. I have no doubt that soon, the underlying piece of the puzzle as to what precipitates the appearance of the full-blown diabetic condition will be unravelled.
Until then, we continue to study and to investigate the best modalities for excellence in patient care. This conference is dedicated to bringing to all with an interest in the condition the laser-sharp edge in best care.
In assuring you that diabetes prudence is not all dark clouds, once again, we welcome you to our silver lining!!