A dedicated volunteer from Brentford is on her way to helping her 1,000th person this year to find out if they are at risk of diabetes.
To mark World Diabetes Day Julia Tyson is heading to Leicester on Saturday November 14, as part of charity Diabetes UK roadshows, where she hopes to reach the milestone figure carrying out risk assessments to see people's likelihood of getting Type 2 diabetes.
So far this year she has assessed 964 people, travelling across London and the South East attending roadshows held monthly in different boroughs and towns.
Ms Tyson who has had Type 1 diabetes for 49 years, said: “Helping Diabetes UK and people with diabetes is my mission and whatever I do I still don’t think it is enough.
"I enjoy helping out at the roadshows and other events and am delighted to have the chance to hit the 1,000th mark this year.”
Roz Rosenblatt, Diabetes UK manager in London, added: “Julia helps us out three or four times every single week - she is a very dedicated person and we are lucky to have her help.
"Her warm smile puts people at ease whether she is at a roadshow or another of our events.
“There are more than 400,000 people living with diabetes in London and our dedicated volunteers help them manage their condition, campaign to improve the quality of care available to them, fundraise for pioneering research and work to stem the rising tide of diabetes.”
Last year Ms Tyson scooped a double award for her tireless campaigning efforts with Diabetes UK.
Diabetes UK has partnered with Tesco to deliver roadshow tours across the country, aiming to reach over 27,000 people with potentially life-changing information over two years.
Type 2 diabetes is serious and can lead to devastating complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness or amputation, but, if managed properly, people can live long, healthy lives.
Eating a healthy diet, taking regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight can help four out of five people with Type 2 diabetes.
