Children created Diabetes Awareness through a Fun Event

• Live Healthy Carnival at RAK Diabetes Center Dubai and RAK Hospital brought together hundreds of parents and children.
• Kids Paintings and Fashion Shows encouraged adults to lead healthier lifestyle.
• Echoing WHO’s ‘Beat Diabetes theme, in a first-of-its-kind venture RAK Diabetes Centre aims to create a healthier UAE through education, preventive measures and by screening over 30,000 people by April 2017

November 20, 2016, Dubai, UAE:  Hundreds of children and their parents participated in Live Healthy Carnival held at RAK Diabetes Center Dubai and RAK Hospital Ras Al Khaimah, to create awareness about healthy habits the fun way and to draw attention towards prevention of Diabetes. The event took a lighter approach to a very serious cause while educating masses on the impact of this silent killer on the entire family. The innocent hands created beautiful paintings encouraging their parents to adopt good lifestyle habits, while little models also strutted down the ramp with great panache, driving home the message in a fun way. 

Families enjoyed a fantastical array of shows and a variety of exciting activities over a fun-packed day while learning about prevention of Diabetes.

Moreover, earlier this year, in line with the World Health Organisation’s 2016 theme, ‘Beat Diabetes’, RAK Diabetes Centre has launched a massive complimentary screening programme open to all associations and companies in Dubai and in the Northern Emirates. In the first-of-its-kind awareness and prevention campaign in the UAE, the centre aims to partner with a number of organisations to provide a holistic and comprehensive diabetes screening to at least 30,000 UAE residents this year. The initiative will run until April 2017, will also include free culinary classes for employees of various organisations with focus on healthy, nutritious and low caloric foods that will help defeat the disease. 

The Carnival persuaded attendees to look at a wholesome, healthy lifestyle, which includes contribution from each family member. Thought-provoking topics of Drawing competitions, such as “Papa I need you… quit smoking”, “Mom and Dad, let’s exercise today… I need you for life”, and “Grandma and Grandpa… what is the secret to your healthy long life”, forced both children and adults to address issues head on whereas helping find solutions designed to suit each family from the child’s perspective. 

Dr. Raza Siddiqui, CEO of Arabian Healthcare Group (The parent company for RAK Diabetes Centre and RAK Hospital) said, “It’s truly amazing to see how wonderfully children have been able to convey the message in a fun and entertaining way. Our mission is to create awareness, prevent diabetes among at-risk populations, and ensure that all people with diabetes get the best care, treatment, and information about how to manage their diabetes. Educating masses on how to avoid it and if you’ve got it, then there are ways you can live a good life and manage it effectively”.

“I would personally like to thank each and every visitor and the staff in making the first ever live healthy carnival a big success. We will definitely be back next year. I am sure our initiative through children will have a bigger impact in adults, they will take their health seriously for the benefit of their families”, he added.
 “As a premier healthcare institution of the UAE, we believe, it is our responsibility to educate people on healthy lifestyle. This was a great platform for kids and young adults to come together for a cause while enjoying the carnival. Honestly speaking I am especially inspired by children, who have taken this initiative in their little hands”.

In recent years, we have seen a rapid rise in type 2 diabetes across all age groups. The UAE is ranked 16th worldwide, with 19% of the UAE population living with diabetes. These statistics indicate that the region has high risk factors for diabetes, mostly related to rising obesity rates and physical inactivity.
Hence awareness and prevention is must in today's changing lifestyle. Diabetes is a silent killer because the disease progresses silently and without any significant symptoms; it comes into the notice of the patient and his physician at a point when nothing can be done to undo the damage.