Diabetes UK - Tesco?s national charity partner for 2013/2014

[JoeFreeman]

Hello. We have some great news to announce this morning that we wanted to share with everyone:

"We have some brilliant news this morning. We?re excited to announce that we have been chosen as Tesco?s national charity partner for 2013/2014.

Why are we so excited? Quite simply, this is the biggest partnership that we?ve ever had and we aim to raise up to ?10million over the coming year.

To find out more, visit www.diabetes.org.uk/tesco

All this will be used to make a life changing difference to the lives of children and adults affected by all types of diabetes. By working together we will:

Fund research into a vaccine that makes a future without Type 1 diabetes a possibility and has the possibility to break new ground in diabetes research.

Run an awareness campaign that could help thousands of people avoid a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.

Provide life-changing support to people who are just diagnosed or already living with all types of diabetes, helping them feel better equipped to manage the condition.

Working with Tesco provides a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of diabetes in the UK. Even more importantly, it gives us the opportunity to change lives - for the 3.8 million people and their families who live with diabetes every day, and also the 7 million people at high risk of developing Type 2.

We look forward to keeping you updated as we kick off and develop the partnership."

 

[Northerner]

This is great news Joe 🙂 My niece is a manager at Tescos and told me about this last week. They really do an effective job in raising awareness and cash from what I know of previous hook-ups 🙂

 

[JoeFreeman]

They do indeed. They helped raised ?10million+ for Cancer Research UK over the last year, and we're aiming for the same this year. Lots of hard work ahead but we're looking forward to the amazing opportunity!

Thanks 🙂

 

[Caroline]

Great news, hope lots of money and awareness is raised...

 

[Vix]

Yay, that's great news! xx

 

[DeusXM]

Any chance of that cash going towards funding cure research? It's just I noticed that didn't appear to be on your list of goals and I'd have thought that'd be the number 1 priority for a diabetes charity. I don't want to 'manage' my condition; I want it gone.

 

[Abi]

Call me cynical but I wonder how well Tesco's treat employees with diabetes if for example they need to test, treat a hypo etc or basal injection time happens to fall during that shift- or time off is needed to attend an appointment
Never worked there but suspect not a happy healthy working culture
( Although probably no where near as bad as a certain company who deal in just about every known commodity to man, online- from the recent publicity I've read about them. Will have to look at alternative ways of sourcing glucose tabs as I was buying the crates of 6 pots of 50 glucotabs at a very reasonable price)
Oh well I'm sure we' re all guilty- wanting goods as cheaply and quickly as possible

 

[Northerner]

Call me cynical but I wonder how well Tesco's treat employees with diabetes if for example they need to test, treat a hypo etc or basal injection time happens to fall during that shift- or time off is needed to attend an appointment
Never worked there but suspect not a happy healthy working culture
( Although probably no where near as bad as a certain company who deal in just about every known commodity to man, online- from the recent publicity I've read about them. Will have to look at alternative ways of sourcing glucose tabs as I was buying the crates of 6 pots of 50 glucotabs at a very reasonable price)
Oh well I'm sure we' re all guilty- wanting goods as cheaply and quickly as possible

I would imagine if there are any problems like you suggest then they will be rapidly addressed - hard to run an awareness campaign without being made fully aware of the issues! 🙂 I know my niece has enjoyed working there for many years, and whilst she doesn't have diabetes she does have other health issues. In such a large organisation though, there are bound to be managers that implement policy badly and perhaps any such failings will be exposed and addressed as a consequence of the campaign 🙂

I believe the online firm you are talking about have addressed the problem which caused them such bad recent publicity, although they were obviously turning a blind eye to it before it was exposed.

 

[Phil65]

Any chance of that cash going towards funding cure research? It's just I noticed that didn't appear to be on your list of goals and I'd have thought that'd be the number 1 priority for a diabetes charity. I don't want to 'manage' my condition; I want it gone.

......have to agree!

 

[Twitchy]

......have to agree!

Here here!

Although a vaccine to protect my children would be awesome. 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

However much I long for the announcement, I can't believe any 'cure' stuff would be relevant to me personally any more. Too long in the D tooth!

Some sort of treatment to stamp out T1D from future generations though, that would be brilliant!

 

[AlisonF]

I blogged about this a few months ago. If a cure was simply a matter of money, I'd agree. But in reality, the human body is a very complex thing and we've been successful at curing very little.

My preference is to focus on helping people today to live well with diabetes, because there's so much scope for improvement in that area and great progress can be made with relatively little effort, to maximum effect. Yes, let's look into a cure, but my priority is to help people live well with diabetes today.

Full blog post at http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2012/10/should-we-go-all-out-for-a-cure

 

[mcdonagh47]

Hello. We have some great news to announce this morning that we wanted to share with everyone:

"We have some brilliant news this morning. We’re excited to announce that we have been chosen as Tesco’s national charity partner for 2013/2014.
"

if you sup with the devil you are going to need a long spoon.

there is no justification imho for DiABETES UK comprising its independence and integrity by hooking up with a commercial organisation such as this especially one involved in the food industry.

Of course Tesco has to restore its image by working for chaaaaarity after the horseburger debacle and using the good name and reputation of DiABETES UK to help restore their own image looks like a soft touch for them if the DUK is prepared to roll over and have its tummy tickled by them.

I wait with trepidation to see what totally inappropriate food choices are pushed at us by Tesco with the DUK's imprimatur on them. The bread aisle designated as "diabetic friendly " ?

 

[Northerner]

However much I long for the announcement, I can't believe any 'cure' stuff would be relevant to me personally any more. Too long in the D tooth!

Some sort of treatment to stamp out T1D from future generations though, that would be brilliant!

I blogged about this a few months ago. If a cure was simply a matter of money, I'd agree. But in reality, the human body is a very complex thing and we've been successful at curing very little.

My preference is to focus on helping people today to live well with diabetes, because there's so much scope for improvement in that area and great progress can be made with relatively little effort, to maximum effect. Yes, let's look into a cure, but my priority is to help people live well with diabetes today.

Full blog post at http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2012/10/should-we-go-all-out-for-a-cure

Pretty much sums up how I feel about things. From recent things I have been reading it seems a vaccine is a big possibility, which would be effectively a cure for future generations. And there is a lot of money being put into a cure, whether funded by this campaign or others from other charities or institutions, so it's not like the possibility is being ignored.

What I would like to see come out of the campaign is a better understanding of what diabetes is and entails. I would hate to see just a rehashing of the simplistic and misleading 'avoid/cure Type 2 by eating well and getting more exercise' message. It may be true of a very large number of people at risk, but it is certainly not all. It needs to be emphasised that weight and activity levels can be important factors, but not the only factors. People understand generally that there are many causes of cancer - with most people accepting that there is a big genetic link for many types of cancer, or environmental/lifestyle factors for others - sometimes a mixture of all of these, so why is it felt that the diabetes message needs to be massively over-simplified?

 

[DeusXM]

I don't think Tesco is necessarily a bad fit for Diabetes UK - there's no suggestion that certain products are going to be labelled 'diabetic-friendly', particularly as Tesco sells everything anyway. I also think we're less likely to see 'interference' as I certainly haven't heard anything from Cancer Research to suggest otherwise. ?10 million isn't to be sniffed at, I just think some of the funding goals are a little redundant.

Besides, you're worried about Tesco? Have a look at the list of Diabetes UK fundraisers. I'd be far more concerned that both Pfizer and Kellogg's are major doners. These are the world's biggest statin and cereal manufacturers. What medication does every doctor try to foist on someone with diabetes regardless of their cholesterol level? And what food choices are the most recommended for breakfast?

Frankly Tesco looks like a much more impartial step forward - long may that continue.

 

[DeusXM]

And there is a lot of money being put into a cure, whether funded by this campaign or others from other charities or institutions, so it's not like the possibility is being ignored.

No, but I think it's certainly lower down on the agenda that most of us would like. I had a look through Diabetes UK's research booklet. I managed to identify approximately ?3.1m worth of research projects that on the face of it could feasibly lead to a cure (oh, and only one of those was T2). The total number of projects on the Research Directory exceed ?21m, so in the unlikely event all these projects are funded, just 14% of the research budget will be on cure-related activities.

I appreciate there's a real need for Diabetes UK to fund other projects that support everyone who's got the condition. I just think the balance isn't quite right at the moment and if you're a T2 there's little in the way of hope being offered.

 

[HOBIE]

Good news Joe. 😉

 

[FM001]

I blogged about this a few months ago. If a cure was simply a matter of money, I'd agree. But in reality, the human body is a very complex thing and we've been successful at curing very little.

My preference is to focus on helping people today to live well with diabetes, because there's so much scope for improvement in that area and great progress can be made with relatively little effort, to maximum effect. Yes, let's look into a cure, but my priority is to help people live well with diabetes today.

Full blog post at http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2012/10/should-we-go-all-out-for-a-cure

Couldn't agree more Alison, this is fantastic news for the UK's largest diabetes charity🙂

 

[Lauras87]

Any chance of that cash going towards funding cure research? It's just I noticed that didn't appear to be on your list of goals and I'd have thought that'd be the number 1 priority for a diabetes charity. I don't want to 'manage' my condition; I want it gone.

I agree but we can't find a cure for the common cold so what chances are there for a cure for diabetes? And if we do cure it, what problems is it going to store up for future generations?

 

[Tina63]

I'm just pleased to read this because at least it means a MASSIVE boost to DUK's funds. That HAS to be good news. People carry on spending in Tesco regardless of who the charity is, so it's nothing but good news for DUK.

One thing I felt early on in my son's diagnosis was related to the labelling on food. It used to rattle me that on the front of a product was all the calorific information, fat content, sugar content, but no TOTAL CARB CONTENT. Wouldn't that be amazing if they could do that too? I had just started wearing reading glasses, but would invariably go to Tesco without them, then struggled to read that information in the tiny print on the back. As they go on and on and on in the press with negative comments about diabetes why don't they try and do something really practical to help?