Abu Dhabi concludes second annual diabetes awareness walkathon

Abu Dhabi, Nov 30, 2008 (WAM) - The second annual Diabetes awareness walkathon concluded in the capital yesterday with more than 7,500 participants pledging their support to nationwide Diabetes prevention and management.

WALK UAE 2008 is part of the largest public health awareness campaign in the UAE under the patronage of H. H Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak. The walkathon is an annual initiative organised by Abu Dhabi's Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC) to mark World Diabetes Day.

Mubadala's CEO, HE Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, led the Diabetes awareness walk for the second year, joined by Dr Michael Bitzer, CEO of Daman, and Maytha Al Habsi from the Emirates Foundation.

Dr Maha Taysir Barakat, Medical '&' Research Director and Consultant Endocrinologist at ICLDC acknowledged the support of partners and response of the community as critical factors of the campaign's success.

"We thank our partners and supporters for their continued belief in this public health awareness initiative, and we are truly encouraged by the community's engagement of WALK UAE.

"The embrace of the walkathon is outstanding and we urge the public to adopt an active lifestyle to assist prevention of Diabetes," she concluded.

ICLDC's WALK UAE 2008 is in partnership with the Emirates Foundation, with the exclusive sponsorship of The National Insurance Company - Daman. – Emirates News Agency, WAM