Issue 170 - Belfast BT6 • BT7 • BT8
Belfast diabetes prevalence hits nearly 23, 681 New figures released by the Department of Health highlight diabetes as the third most prevalent health condition in Northern Ireland.
Young Daithi Mac Gabhann celebrates his Freedom of the City conferment with (former ) Lord Mayor Cllr Tina Black and some of his favourite Superheroes!
Freedom of the City conferred on Dáithí Mac Gabhann
A special ceremony has been held at City Hall recently to confer the Freedom of The City on six-year-old Dáithí Mac Gabhann. The city’s highest honour was bestowed on the young boy in recognition of his campaign to raise awareness around organ donation. A circus top transformed the outside lawn at City Hall, alongside acrobatic characters, and children’s entertainment to welcome
invited guests. The Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Tina Black was delighted to lead the celebratory event and said: “Dáithí is an exceptional and special little boy who has inspired and given hope to other young people waiting for a donor.” Dáithí was born with
hypoplastic left heart syndrome, meaning the left side of his heart did not form correctly and he has been on the list for a heart transplant for several years. Dáithí and his family have lobbied for a change in the legislation in Northern Ireland and Dáithí’s law successfully
came into effect on Thursday 1 June. This means all adults will be considered potential organ donors unless they choose to opt out or are in an excluded group.
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Taking into account patients aged 17 and above, the data reinforces fears of a rapidly escalating diabetes crisis, a concern recently shared by leading diabetes charity, Diabetes UK. A breakdown of the data across all Trust areas is as follows; Belfast – 23,681, Northern – 29,212, Southeastern – 18,861, Southern, 21,567 and Eastern – 17,485. Prevalence reporting has been in place for almost 20 years, with the 2022/2023 figures highlighting that diabetes diagnoses have more than doubled since then. Whilst treatment costs for diabetes can be difficult to quantify, it is estimated to be approximately £1million per day – accounting for 10% of the local health and social care budget. Knowing the signs and symptoms to look out for in
relation is vitally important, if you spot any of the following signs, contact your doctor immediately: • Toilet – needing to use the toilet more often, especially at night. • Thirsty – being constantly thirsty and not being able to quench it. • Tired – being incredibly tired and having no energy. • Thinner – losing weight without trying to or looking thinner than usual. To learn more about Diabetes UK Northern Ireland’s calls for the prioritisation of diabetes care and prevention in transforming our health service, visit www.diabetes. org.uk/in_your_area/n_ireland. Here you will also find further support and guidance offered by Diabetes UK in Northern Ireland. If you have a question about diabetes, contact our helpline on 0345 123 2399.