Today, Diabetes Ireland, launched its Annual Report summarising its work and activities in the areas of diabetes advocacy, education, support and awareness.
In existence since 1967, the charity was founded with the purpose of obtaining free medications for all people with diabetes under the Long Term Illness Scheme (LTI). In 1971, the Government of the day agreed to this and today every person with diabetes in Ireland continues to benefit from this decision making significant monthly cost savings. In the early 2000s, the charity made further representations to the Government seeking to have blood pressure and cholesterol medications also made freely available under the LTI scheme to all people with diabetes who required them and once again was successful in doing so.
However, our work is not done, as today, many people with diabetes are struggling to get timely access to new diabetes technologies such as Freestyle Libre, Insulin Pumps and CGMs and regular access to HSE diabetes services and this is why in 2021 we launched our first ever Pre-Budget Submission seeking Government funding to implement 8 immediate actions that will further improve healthcare services for people with diabetes nationwide and today are continuing our advocacy work for improved diabetes services and will launch our second Pre-Budget submission very shortly.
We also continued to expand our online education programmes, maintain our helpline and Care Centre services and raise awareness of diabetes running campaigns such as or TEST campaign which was a new initiative launched in May to raise awareness amongst the general public of the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes in children reaching over 3.5 million people and our “Back to School” campaign to help school staff and parents with the transition of children and adolescents with diabetes going back to school.
In November 2021, we also launched our new 5 year strategy “Changing Lives “2022-2026” strategy document which was developed after engagement with members on how we can best support them. The document included initiatives to improve supports at diagnosis for people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, especially in the first year of diagnosis and then ongoing support after that and we are currently working to develop these programmes.
Of course, we also have to attract the funding support we need to maintain our services and your continuing membership and support of Diabetes Ireland is very much appreciated as it helps us greatly. We cannot express enough our appreciation of the ongoing support we receive from our current volunteers, members, fundraisers, healthcare professionals, employees and corporate supporters.
As ever, our goal is to support, educate, motivate, and empower people with diabetes and their families and to advocate for optimum health care for all those with diabetes in Ireland.
Click here to read the full Annual Report 2021.