April 2015 newsletter

Hello from Diabetes UK Richmond and Twickenham Group

You are invited an OPEN MEETING

When:        Tuesday 14 April at 7.30 pm

Where:       St Mary’s Church Hall, Church Street, Twickenham, TW1 3NJ

On:             Healthwatch Richmond

With:           Mary McLaren who will explain how that organisation promotes patients’ interests in Richmond and in particular what it can do for people with diabetes

There will be a Q & A session. Light refreshments will be provided. A donation of £1 towards running costs is suggested.  All are welcome.

At the AGM Helen Church, Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse with Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust (HRCH) spoke to us about the current provision of diabetes care in Richmond. See the attached sheet for more details of her talk.

Also Nouras Al-tamimi is a fourth year pharmacy student at Kingston University investigating the different factors that influence the choices of and acceptability to individuals of advanced technologies of monitoring glucose levels. She asked whether members would participate in her research.  If you would like further information and a copy of her questionnaire please email Trisha  library@DUKRT.org.uk or phone 020 8941 5162.

At the 17 March meeting Claire Lubbock, Diabetes UK’s London region Fundraiser since December 2014 has been meeting London voluntary groups to see what they would like. There’s a large push from Diabetes UK to encourage people to join Diabetes Voices – where local people campaign in their area. In Richmond, for example, Diabetes UK wants the clinical commissioning groups to up their game to provide the 15 essentials of care – an area that Helen Church highlighted at the AGM where Richmond was below par.  Sign up to join Voices and receive emails from Diabetes UK. It is up to you how far you want to get involved. Claire and Juliet, the Voluntary Development Support Officer, would also welcome any new recruits to volunteering – just phone Diabetes UK on 0345 123 2399.

Claire also gave us an update on the work carried out by Dr Astrid Hauge-Evans’ research project, ‘The interactions of islet cells’, which we had contributed to. Cell communication aka ‘cell signalling’ is crucial throughout life, from birth to death, as each cell knows what it will become. The molecules of cells communicate with each other advising, for example, that if there is too much glucose in the body then more insulin is required. Such pathways can be robust or delicate – insulin is delicate. The islet cell function in the pancreas is very important. Beta cells produce and store insulin. If you look at the pathways re stimulation of beta cells to release insulin, then you may find an ideal candidate for new drugs. Dr Hague-Evans’ work is important because it is looking at issues with implications for transplants.

DATES FOR YOUR 2015 DIARY

Saturday 9 May Join us at Richmond May Fair, on the Green, mid-morning onwards

Tuesday 12 May Kathy Hilton Dietician at Kingston Hospital will offer the latest dietary advice for people with diabetes.

Saturday 16 May 9.30am onwards Kew Rotary’s Ramble leaves the Coach and Horses, Kew Green for its annual six-mile walk to Richmond Bridge and back. Please join Trisha Shirt and possibly Elizabeth Raven-Hill or sponsor them as they raise funds for our group. Entry forms and more details are available from Trisha on 020 8941 5162 or library@dukrt.org.uk. Or find out more by going to

http://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/page.php?PgID=479165&ClubID=1518

Monday 25 May HANDS Charities Fair We will be on Twickenham Green at this local fair between 10am-3pm. Please come along to enjoy the fair and stop to say hello to us – maybe even help run our stand for an hour or so!

2015 Dates for Tuesday night meetings at 7.30 pm at St. Mary’s, Church Hall, Church Street, Twickenham, TW1 1NJ

Further meetings will be held on 16 June, 14 July, 15 September &13 October.

Speakers and topics will be announced in due course firstly on our website at www.DUKRT.org.uk Don’t forget to take a look at the revamped website and send us your feedback and suggestions.

Finally, a request from Charlotte Gosden, regarding a research study at Bournemouth University to explore people's experiences, hopes and concerns about new artificial pancreas devices.

She is working with Professor Katharine Barnard from Bournemouth University, in collaboration with the Joslin Diabetes Centre, Harvard Medical School, Northwestern University, Chicago and Stanford University.

Clinical trials of artificial pancreas devices are taking place around the world and results show a medical benefit associated with using these devices. Little is known however about the impact on every day life for people using them or what will help or stop people wanting to use them when they are available in a few years.

They want to find out more about the expectations of an artificial pancreas and what impact it might have on being able to go about daily life, the potential benefits and downsides of using this new technology, particularly in terms of what would make it worth using and what would stop people from using it.

They are holding focus groups to talk about this in London at Diabetes UK headquarters on Monday 20th April at 1.15pm for adults with type 1 diabetes and on Wednesday 22nd April at 9.15am for partners of adults with type 1 diabetes. They are also happy to interview over the phone if a focus group doesn't suit. Please contact Charlotte on 07800-926-979 or email her on cag1u08@soton.ac.uk

We look forward to hearing from you, especially if you have any ideas or requests for speakers, and to seeing you soon.

Alastair Mackinlay, Chair

Chair@DUKRT.org.uk  - 020 8941 1785