Community power beats a pill when it comes to combatting diabetes

The folllwing opinion piece by Professor David Simmons from the School of Medicine was first published by the Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser on 28 February, 2018. 

Professor David Simmons from the School of Medicine conducting pre-diabetes screening with Nutritionist Dr Joanna McMillan

I have no doubt that the people of Campbelltown are sick of hearing about the high rates of diabetes in their region. What I don’t think they hear enough about is the solutions that exist – not in the form of a pill, but in the power of community.

I truly believe that community-based solutions work for managing the diabetes epidemic. I have seen them – during my 27-year career as an endocrinologist – work in programs throughout the United Kingdom, New Zealand, the USA and Australia for over 27 years.

And I’ve seen it work here in Campbelltown. For example, through Western Sydney University’s Le Taeao Afua Samaon Diabetes Prevention Program (LTA), delivered through churches in South Western Sydney (SWS). This program – aimed at a community where diabetes is often considered the ‘norm’ - isn’t doctors in white coats telling everyone how to live, but experts listening to the community, hearing their challenges, and motivating them and achieve realistic goals – as a community. Similarly, Western Sydney University’s Wollondilly Diabetes Programme involves locals living with diabetes supporting each other, and working together to realise solutions that really work – like the Wollondilly Community Panrty and Tahmoor Community Garden.

While the diabetes stats in this region are shocking, I truly believe that this community has the power to unite and create its own solutions. Why wait for a pill to cure diabetes, when community is such a powerful antidote to this epidemic?

Ends

5 September 2018

Media Unit