Your View: Diabetes UK 85th anniversary

One of the biggest health crises facing us today
A nurse giving a patient a diabetes test. Picture by PA Wire/PA ImagesA nurse giving a patient a diabetes test. Picture by PA Wire/PA Images
A nurse giving a patient a diabetes test. Picture by PA Wire/PA Images

Clare Howarth

Head of the North of England at Diabetes UK

Since our founding in 1934, we have been at the forefront of diabetes breakthroughs.

We have campaigned for change in diabetes care, supported people through our helpline and local support groups, championed the work of healthcare professionals, and funded life-changing research.

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From the development of the first insulin pen in the 1970s, or the launch of the digital handheld blood glucose meter, to being closer than ever to making the artificial pancreas a reality, research funded by Diabetes UK – and made possible by our supporters – continues to change the lives of people with diabetes for the better.

And now, as we learn more about Type 2 diabetes, we want to make remission from the condition a reality for as many people as possible. The Diabetes UK-funded DiRECT study, our largest ever research award, has added to the much needed evidence that remission can be achieved, and that this can potentially be done through routine NHS care.

But diabetes remains one of the biggest health crises facing us today, especially with 12.3 million people being at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. We know that, together, we can create a world where diabetes can do no harm.