We must all fight this illness together

LAST Thursday marked the birthday of HG Wells, one of the fathers of science fiction. Wells was diagnosed with diabetes in his early 60s, and in 1934 he announced the formation of the Diabetic Association (now Diabetes UK) with a letter to a national newspaper.

Our first research grant was awarded the very next year: £50, the equivalent of around £3,000 today. Fast-forward to 2017, and we’re backing 130 research projects across the UK, worth £25 million.

From the beginning, the charity was open to “rich or poor, for mutual aid or assistance to promote the study, the diffusion of knowledge and the proper treatment of diabetes.”

Since then, we’ve never shied away from the fight against diabetes; whether by influencing policy, driving improvements in care or funding pioneering research.

We campaigned for free access to insulin, and the creation of the National Health Service. This year campaigned to make Flash Glucose Monitoring, a life-changing technology for many people, available on the NHS. And last week, together, we made it happen.

But diabetes is the most devastating and fastest-growing health crisis of our time. More than 188,000 people in Wales are living with the condition; this is 7.1 per cent of people aged 17 and over, the highest prevalence of diabetes in the UK. A further 57,000 people in Wales are believed to have Type 2 diabetes, not yet diagnosed.

As the leading UK charity for people affected by diabetes it’s our responsibility to lead the fight against the growing crisis. It is one that involves all of us – sharing knowledge and taking it on together.

For more information about diabetes care, support, research and technology, go to www.diabetes.org. uk . Dai Williams Director – Diabetes UK Cymru