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Fresh Paint in the Otara office!

With the support of our amazing Landlady, Elaine, we are delighted to report that we now have fresh paint in the main areas of the building.    This is a staged process, being carried out over the next year to freshen up the Otara office.  The last time this happened we realise, was back in 2010 when the Whitiora diabetes team moved across the road to the MIT health building...they've had several moves since then and are now on the corner of Alexander Crescent and Bairds road in w...

World Kidney Day 14 March 2024

World Kidney Day (WKD) is a campaign across the globe aiming to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to health overall and to help reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems. WKD is to be celebrated on 14 March in 2024, and is usually held every year on the 2nd Thursday of March. There is recognition and support to the WKD campaign provided by many individuals and organizations around the world, often organizing different activities ai...

Public Health...not just diabetes

Working in Public Health it's well known that there is never just one issue or condition or complication or factor that impacts living a healthy life.     While diabetes is the main focus of the mahi done by Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa, we acknowledge that there are other areas requiring urgent attention in our communities.  Our Board member Gerhard Sundborn works and does research in a number of important areas in addition to diabetes.  He has just announced a symposiu...

Publication - DCSS - All-cause death attributable to socioeconomic and ethnic disparity Type 1

Another publication from DCSS data from 1994-2019, this one concluded that "results suggest that socioeconomic disparities were responsible for a substantial proportion of all-cause, premature and CVD mortality in people with T1DM in Auckland, NZ. Reducing socioeconomic barriers to management and self-management would likely improve clinical outcomes"...

January 2024...how are we going for Climate Action?

January, in health promotion in the community it's a time of reporting for contracts, getting ready for return to normal work in 2024, writing draft budgets for the end of the financial year, and for us it's been a flurry of recruiting activity for our newest team member.  It's busy, but also on the list is the ongoing review of the important things that help underpin our organisation and how we work.This month, on the schedule, is a review of the question of where do we sit as an organisat...

Want to know about Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa in just 1 page? Download our leaflet

Who are we, what do we do, what does our organisation stand for?   What are our programmes, vision, mission, advocacy, research and community and capacity development activities?   Our website, Facebook page and blog have plenty of information, but this downloadable trifold leaflet gives the basic details of our vision, what we seek to do (our Pou), contact details, and current projects as in July 2023.   ...

Christmas 2023

Our office is closed Friday December 22 and re-opens on Monday January 8 2024.Thank you to everyone who has made 2023 such an amazing year, it's been a challenge in places, but so many excellent things have happened we can't wait to see what 2024 will bring.We wish everyone a safe and happy festive season.  Meri Kirihimete ki te katoa...

Catching up with the Kidney Society

A major complication of diabetes is damage to the kidneys.  While diabetes isn't the only cause of kidney problems, a significant number of people with kidney failure or on dialysis have diabetes.    The Kidney Society has been working in the community for over 40 years and an important role for them is "connecting people to the vital information, education and support services they need to preserve their kidney health and live a better quality of life diagnosed with kidney d...

Congratulations Diana

We have a new Lifestyle Team Leader!  Many of you know already Diana Anderson from her roles in Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa for the last 14 years, but it may not be so well known that she is a Registered Nutritionist  with the Nutrition Society of New Zealand and has a masters in nutrition science. Diana's thesis was on 'Food industry and Consumer attitudes towards and consumer knowledge of  food labels', a very relevant topic working with nutrition in the community.  When D...

Report on participating in the New Zealand and Australia Joint Nutrition Societies Conference - 2023

Written by Cassie Slade, Lifestyle Facilitator, schools. Every four years the Nutrition Society of New Zealand and the Nutrition Society of Australia host a joint conference. This year it was held at Massey University in Auckland and the theme was ‘Nutrition & Wellbeing in Oceania’.   The programme had speakers from across the Pacific with sessions ranging from Nutrition in our Land & Water, to Nutrition in Education Settings and Nutrition & Wellbeing. There were a...

Publication - DCSS - Health Inequality in Eight Adverse OUtcomes

Clinical Epidemiology - new paper just published titled "Health Inequality in Eight Adverse Outcomes Over a 25-Year Period in a Multi-Ethnic Population in New Zealand Population with Impaired Glucose Tolerance and/or Impaired Fasting Glucose: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis" examining socioeconomic inequality relating to impaired glucose tolerance and/or impaired fasting glucose from DCSS cohort linked to other national databases.   https://www.dovepress.com/articles.php?article_id=88772...

Over a century in years of service...

Our small organisation has been around since the 1990's.   Seven of our nine team members have been with the organisation for over 10 years, one nearly 30 years, three more than 20 years.  If the entire nine team members have their employed years with the Foundation added up, we end up with 140 years, or an average of over 15 years per person.   It was a great privilege to acknowledge at our 2023 Christmas function, the contribution of the team members who as of December...

In the Australian News

"The Diabetes disaster", "Human catastrophe in motion", "Out of control, how this diabolical disease is dwarfing the pandemic", "Ravages of silent epidemic".  "The epidemic pushing Australian hospitals to the brink of collapse".   These are the headlines about Type 2 diabetes from a series of hard hitting articles published 2-3 December 2023 in The Australian.  ...

Te Rito Ora - Whaanau Hauora Day

Excellent day spent by team members Trish and Cassie, promoting health with other community organisations in Papatoetoe at this Te Rito Ora and PAPSDA organised event.  Thanks to the organisers!For those who aren't familiar with the organisation, Te Rito Ora is a community-based service that provides breastfeeding and feeding for baby support for South Auckland Mothers.  The free service can go from pregnancy till baby turns 2.   More information, and the resources they...

Announcement of Clinical Director Appointment

We are excited to announce the appointment of Mātanga Tapuhi (Nurse Practitioner), Kate Smallman to the role of Clinical Director.   Kate will be providing guidance to the Board and team, along with clinical and technical oversight.  She will also be heavily involved in research, strategy and professional leadership.  We are very proud of Kate, who has worked with the Foundation since 2000. Kate has carved out a career pathway starting as a Registered Nurse, working thr...

Community organisations and sensible policy advice

In a world where operating a small organisation in an increasingly challenging environment is fraught with difficulty, Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa was delighted to be part of a very large collaboration that went into the production of this useful resource. The document was put together by Stephen Moe of Parryfield Lawyers, more detail and further resources here.   This document is part 5 of a suite, and is a comprehensive checklist of important areas of policy consideration for n...

Kime says hi from the Diabetes Service in Whangarei

Lifestyle Team Leader Diana and her fur babies (one who seems awfully interested in Kime's lunchbox) got a chance to pay a catch up call to Diabetes Dietitian, Kime Esau who is now based in Whangarei in the Diabetes service.  Kime was a familiar face in schools across Tamaki Makaurau having run the Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa Healthy Schools programme until early 2023.   Great to see where our amazing team members end up!...

Of Sprouts and Microgreens

Richard carried out a demonstration for World Diabetes Day yesterday showing how easy it is to grow microgreens or produce sprouts.   In a world where vegetables are expensive there's always the concern about in spite of having good intentions, an expensive lettuce or cabbage or bag of salad can go off in the fridge before getting a chance to use it.   Also, not everyone likes these things, children or adults!But most people can enjoy a handful of mild (or tasty) sprouts or m...

World Diabetes Day activity in West Auckland

An enjoyable and productive day had by all participating in World Diabetes Day activity in the Wesley Community Centre Mt Roskill. Diana Anderson was present with advice and resources and an interactive display, and Richard Main demonstrated how to grow sprouts as a healthy vegetable source at home. Richards instructions for Microgreens and sprouts here.  Thanks to Faieza Ali Khan, Diabetes Nurse Specialist from Te Whatu Ora Te Toka Tumai Auckland (Auckland District Health Board) for r...

Media Release from NZSSD for World Diabetes Day 2023

This media release from New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes is "in recognition of World Diabetes Day (WDD) 2023, Aotearoa New Zealand, led by the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD), joins the global community in raising awareness about diabetes, a condition that affects an estimated 300,000 Kiwis".   The theme continues of "Access to Diabetes Care" .  The full document is in PDF form below, and there's more information on WDD here....

Getting ready for summer...Richard's tips for dry weather food gardening

The Gardens4Health information sheets are being put online at the moment...below are links to two that are particularly timely as the weather gets warmer and we think about how much...or little water there may be around come summer. Dry gardening tips Water Conservation in the garden ...

Annual Activity Report - 2022-2023

The latest Annual Activity report has been approved by the Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa Board of Trustees at the final meeting of the year.  Highlights of this year include the ongoing Adolescent Bariatric Surgery study success stories, research by Professor David Simmons and team using DCSS audit data, new medication advocacy over the year, PhD candidate Kanchana Perera is underway with her 3 year project, and the team are busy and productive in the 'mostly-post covid' environment.&nb...

In the News

Duraglutide (Trulicity) is back in the news because of a global shortage of supply, as is the alternative Liraglutide (Victoza), due to popularisation of the medications for weight loss as modelled in social media.     Pharmac announced in their notices on 24 October 2023 that they "only secure enough stock for people currently taking these medicines".   An article in Pharmacy Today, Kaitiaki Rongoa O Te Wa on 7 November 2023, by Natasha Jojoa Bu...

You never know who you will run into...

Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa Manager, Karen Pickering, was out enjoying the Allfit Rotary Fun-run at Maraetai Beach on the weekend and saw a familiar face on the path.  Who was it but long term Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa Board member and popular Otara GP (retired), Dr Faye Clark.  Great excuse for Karen to stop to say hello!Dr Clark retired from her involvement with Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa in 2013 having started with the organisation back in 1998.  During this time Faye was...

Diabetes Days, Weeks and Months

It's that time of the year, November is 'Diabetes Action Month' or in some settings 'Diabetes Awareness Month'.  The Diabetes New Zealand website describes plenty of activities lined up round the country, and for 2023, the topic is eyes or "Eyes on Diabetes".   November also includes IDF World Diabetes Day (WDD) on the 14th with 2023 being the last year of a 3 year focus on prevention of type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related complications.Having a look around the world, activities ...