Thousands join 3KM walk to raise awareness on diabetes
dubai — Dressed in blue shirts and caps, thousands of people swarmed the Zaabeel Park in Dubai on Friday morning to take part in the 10th edition of its popular Beat Diabetes Walk organised by the Landmark Group. This year, over 18,000 people completed the 3-km walk around the park in high spirits to raise awareness and drive the message of healthy living.
With the prevalence of diabetes in over 15.6 per cent of expatriates and over 1.19 million diabetes cases in the UAE alone, the Beat Diabetes initiative has become a significant highlight in the health and wellness calendar of the country.
The walk was held with the support of the Dubai Sports Council, Emirates Diabetes Society (EDS), the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Dubai Municipality, Roads and Transport Authority and the Dubai Police. All funds raised through registrations will be donated to Al Jalila Foundation, Landmark’s official charity partner.
Participant Zita D’Souza, who had come with her friend, said it was the first time she had come to support such a cause and said she loved the excitement and fun way of how the community came together.
“Although I am fit and healthy, I have friends and family who have diabetes and I am here to play my part as a community member in promoting this cause. It is so motivating to see the whole community coming together for a cause. I am here to promote fitness and to tell everyone that take time out for your own self, as health is a big blessing. I ensure I go for a walk every day as it is not only good for our body but also helps us get rid of mental stress,” Zitsa said.
Renuka Jagtiani, chairwoman and CEO of the Landmark Group, said: “We realised that awareness makes a huge difference within a family and therefore the whole family should be involved and not just the one who has diabetes. In the last 10 years, the Beat Diabetes Walk has attracted more than 100,000 participants of diverse nationalities. More than half a million people have been tested for free. The Landmark Group has engaged over 700 schools and corporates towards the cause. This time, we made the event a day-long event like a family day out with a number of fun activities for all.”
A prominent section at this year’s walkathon was students who were seen enjoying, dancing and walking with their peers, holding their school banners and shouting slogans supporting the cause.
The 10th anniversary of the walk also witnessed the return of the SuperKidz, a Landmark Group initiative focusing on encouraging kids to follow healthy lifestyle habits. The creative contest was launched online across the GCC and India with two categories — children in the age group of 4-6 years sending in SuperKidz themed drawings; and kids of 7-10 years sending in their super stories on eating healthy and getting active in English and Arabic. First and second place winners across both categories walked away with prizes including a school scholarship, an iPad, an assortment of Landmark goodies as well as the chance for their work to be published in the next edition of the SuperKidz comic.
Activities that followed the walk included free blood glucose testing, free Zumba and yoga by Fitness First, spot fitness challenges and dance routines. Kids were entertained at a children’s SuperKidz zone.
Dr Fatheya Al Awadi, chair of DHA Diabetes Committee and head of endocrinology department at Dubai Hospital, said: “It is time to intervene because we owe it to ourselves. Beating diabetes takes only a few, but very important steps. It requires consistency in terms of healthy eating, adequate sleep and regular exercise, which could just be a brisk walk for 30 minutes. All these go hand-in-hand to make for better health.”
We realised that awareness makes a huge difference within a family and therefore the whole family should be involved and not just the one who has diabetes.” Renuka Jagtiani, chairwoman and
CEO, Landmark Group