As part of World Diabetes Day celebration’s a further 21 people with diabetes received “Living Well with Diabetes” 50 Year medals from Diabetes Ireland. At three different ceremonies held in Cork, Dublin and Naas Hospital medal recipients and their families came together to share memories of their lives with diabetes.

Lots of stories and memories were shared at each event. In Cork, one of the recipients Fr. Liam Enright recalled attending the first meeting in the Mansion House which attracted over 750 people in 1967. He became a member of the committee formed that day who went on to set up Diabetes Ireland. Fr. Enright was elected as the Treasurer, which makes him the first Treasurer of Diabetes Ireland. Two other medal recipients also recalled the setting up of the first support group in Cork and another medal recipient ran the recent Dublin City Marathon. In Dublin, 2 active current volunteers were among the medal recipients and in Naas the hospital diabetes team rolled out the red carpet for their medal recipients.

Diabetes Ireland would like to thank Professor Domhnaill O’Halloran, Consultant Endocrinologist, Cork University Hospital and Mr Patrick O’Shea, President of UCC who presented the medals at the Cork ceremony, Professor Richard Firth and Professor Gerald Tomkin, formerly of Mater Hospital and Tallaght Hospital respectively and Dr Kevin Moore and his team in Naas Hospital for attending the various ceremonies making it a memorable occasion for the medal recipients.

Professor Hilary Hoey, Chairperson of Diabetes Ireland who presented the medals at the Dublin ceremony said “it’s fantastic to hear the stories of all the medal recipients who are an inspiration to the many young people living with diabetes today and its great for the medal recipients and their families to have an opportunity to meet and chat with each other and their doctors on such a lovely occasion”.

Diabetes Ireland has now given out 100 “Living Well with Diabetes” 50 year medals and one 65 year medal and has plans to hold further ceremonies in the New Year.