Yesterday, we had the pleasure of attending an event organised by Diabetes UK and Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group. This event was entitled ‘Type 2 Diabetes and the Croydon Community’ and it brought together patients, healthcare professionals, local charities and commissioners to discuss how   we can tackle diabetes in Croydon.

The event started with a welcome and introduction by Dr Rajan Namasivayam from the Diabetes UK Croydon Local Group and then we heard from the three main speakers: Rachael Glover, Manager at Diabetes UK; Charlotte Harris, Senior Researcher, Revealing Reality;  and Dipti Gandhi, Diabetes Clinical Lead at Croydon CCG.

Setting the Scene

Rachael Glover from Diabetes UK started the session with a good introduction to type 2 diabetes and its prevention and management.  From Rachael’s presentation, we learnt of the extent to which diabetes affects those living in the UK; currently, 4.5 million people in the UK have diabetes.  Rachael explained that diabetes occurs when our body isn’t able to control our blood glucose levels and glucose builds up in the blood leading to a number of health problems.  Diabetes is a result of problems with our insulin which is a hormone that helps our body use glucose preventing glucose levels from rising to dangerously high levels.

Rachael stated that there are two main types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes: this is where the body doesn’t make any insulin at all

Type 2 diabetes:  where the body doesn’t make enough insulin or the insulin isn’t working properly.

From Rachael’s presentation, it was noted that 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes hence why there is a need to focus on this type of diabetes, particularly because 3/5 cases of type 2 diabetes are preventable. This means there is a huge opportunity to successfully tackle diabetes.

Rachael explained that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by eating a healthier diet, being more active and maintaining a healthy weight.

Rachael stated that the national programme Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme was launched in 2016 to support people at high risk of developing diabetes to change their lifestyle to reduce their risk.

Rachael also discussed the best ways of ensuring that patients with diabetes are able to successfully manage their condition.  She stated that one of the most effective ways to do this is through patient education and there are several approaches:  one-to-one information and advice, informal flexible ongoing information, ongoing support and structured education.  These approaches are useful to patients with 90% of patients saying that they were better able to manage their condition following education, but sadly only 5% of diabetes patients attend an education event. With this in mind, Diabetes UK and Croydon CCG have pledged to reach 50% of diabetics through education.

Interesting Research

Next, we heard from Charlotte Harris, Senior Researcher from Revealing Reality. Charlotte summarised the findings from a very interesting research study that aimed to understand attitudes to diabetes amongst the South Asian communities of Thornton Heath in Croydon.

In their study they explored the needs, barriers and opportunities for innovation and they did this by finding out about diabetes as it is really lived in the community – they visited patients in their own environment.  From their work they identified  four key areas for innovation:

• Food
• Lifestyle and fitness
• Medical and healthcare
• Knowledge and advice

They also found that:

1. When looking at the South Asian community, there was no one South Asian community or culture. There were many cultural differences (Indian, Bangladeshi etc..) and these differences are usually overlooked when health education and awareness projects are developed.

2. Despite diabetes being talked about frequently, understanding of diabetes is low and for people where there was an understanding knowledge wasn’t applied practically.

3. There was a sense in the South Asian community that diabetes is inevitable and there isn’t anything that can be done to prevent it, so there was a significant feeling of powerlessness.

4. Many myths about diabetes exist such as climate and stress cause diabetes and that diabetes can be cured, this myth about there being a cure was a major problem as people would stop taking their medication once they started feeling better believing they were cured.

5. There was a lack of knowledge of the serious complications that are associated with diabetes.

Tackling Diabetes in Croydon

Finally, we heard from Dipti Gandhi the diabetes clinical lead at Croydon CCG. Dipti explained that, in Croydon, diabetes is a  huge problem with about 10% of residents living with diabetes.  She then went on to explain some of the services in Croydon. These included:

• A new prevention programme where pre-diabetics are identified and enrolled in a 15-month programme to reduce their risk of developing diabetes. This programme has started in Thornton Heath and will expand to other areas in Croydon.
• Online support via Croydon Council’s Just Be Programme
• Voluntary sector projects to raise awareness
• Support with medications
• Group consultations with GPs and exploring ways of patients accessing diabetes specialists
• Self education through DESMOND Type 2 and DAFNE Type 1

Conclusion

This was a really informative and interesting event and one that was of great importance to the black community who are three times more likely to develop diabetes than their white counterparts. The Lake Foundation is currently making its own contribution to tackling diabetes in Croydon by teaming up with Diabetes UK and Croydon CCG with funding from Croydon Council to run a diabetes community champion project.  To find out more about this project or to volunteer to take part please email us

The Lake Foundation has teamed up with Diabetes UK to run a 12 month Diabetes Community Champion project in Croydon that is aimed at the African and African-Caribbean community.   Through this project we’re hoping to raise awareness of diabetes and how it can be prevented, and for those with diabetes, provide information on  how best to manage their condition and secure better health outcomes.

We’re currently looking for volunteers to take on the role of Diabetes Community Champions.

Diabetes Community Champions will raise awareness of diabetes and this may involve giving presentations, hosting information tables at events, distributing leaflets and information, taking part in local radio interviews, writing blogs and exploring creative ways of engaging with the black community.  In addition volunteers, if interested, can work with local GPs to identify pre-diabetics and work with them on a one-to-one basis to reduce their risk through a behaviour change programme.

Community Champions can dedicate as much time as they are able to this project, but ideally we’d like volunteers to commit to at least 1 – 2 days a month to ensure we can make the most impact possible.

Full training will be provided to all volunteers.

If you’re interested in being a Diabetes Community Champion, please complete an online registration form here or email info@thelakefoundation.com for more information.

This week Prostate Cancer UK launched their ‘Stronger Knowing More’ campaign which is aimed at black men and puts the spotlight on the fact that black men have a significantly higher risk of developing prostate cancer. Black men have a 1 in 4 chance of developing prostate cancer, which is double the risk faced by all men who have a 1 in 8 chance of developing prostate cancer.

In addition to this increased risk of developing this devastating disease black mean are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer.  Black men have a 1 in 12 lifetime risk of dying from prostate cancer whilst all men have a 1 in 24 lifetime risk of developing prostate.

As a result of these alarming statistics Prostate Cancer UK recognised the importance of ensuring that all black men are aware of their risk so they can take steps to do something about it.

Prostate Cancer UK’s Stronger Knowing More campaign uses positive and empowering portraits of black men from the worlds of sport, politics and the arts as a show of strength against prostate cancer. Former WBA World Heavyweight champion David Haye, Olympic gold medallist, Linford Christie and Labour MP, Chuka Umunna are among the well-known faces supporting this campaign.

Stronger Knowing More is calling on the black community to confront the increased risk of prostate cancer and break down longstanding taboos that have prevented black men from speaking about the disease.

It is not known why black men have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer but genetics is thought to play a role. We can all do something about this by being aware of the symptoms and men acting quickly and visiting their doctor, without delay, if they have symptoms they are concerned about.

For more information about black men’s risk of developing prostate cancer visit Prostate Cancer UK’s website here, view the video below or if you have any concerns you can call their helpline 0800 074 8383.

The Lake Foundation is delighted to announce that we have received a grant from Croydon Council to work in collaboration with Diabetes UK to run a Diabetes Community Champion project in Croydon

This grant will support the cost of running this project for a year which aims to raise awareness of diabetes amongst the African and African-Caribbean community in Croydon who are three times more likely to develop the condition. The project’s focus will be on encouraging people to make lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of developing diabetes and this will involve raising awareness throughout Croydon and also working closely with pre-diabetics.

We’ll be recruiting Diabetes Community Champions who will be fully trained and will become the lifeblood of the project by getting out in the community to reach as many people as possible.

We are very grateful to Croydon Council for supporting us to tackle this very important health issue in the black community and we look forward to working with Diabetes UK.

If you’re interested in becoming a Diabetes Community Champion, please email info@thelakefoundation.com for more information.

This week, a new analysis by Public Health England has revealed a troubling conclusion: 40 to 60 year olds in the UK are facing a health crisis. This health crisis has been attributed to modern lifestyles, particularly “the car, the desk job and the computer”, which means that people are not as physically active as 20 years ago.

“People are busy with work, with families, with the daily grind and sometimes their own health is the least of their priorities.” – Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Health and Wellbeing, Public Health England

Public Health England’s analysis explored how the behaviour and health of people aged 40 to 60 has changed over the past 20 years. They found that 83% of 40-60 year olds either drink too much,  are inactive or are overweight or obese.

When we looked at their data on obesity, their report states that 77% of men and 63% of women within the 40 to 60 age group are overweight or obese compared to 67% of men and 55% of women 20 years ago. Public Health England also noted that many middle aged people couldn’t identify what a healthy body looks like and they suggest that it is possible that obesity is now becoming the new normal. This is worrying as many people may not realise they are at an unhealthy weight.

Another important area the analysis looked at was diabetes. They found that the diabetes rate in 40 to 60 year olds has doubled – 3% of middle aged people had diabetes 20 years ago and today that has increased to 7%.  Apart from diabetes they found that the rate of heart conditions in men has increased, rising from 8.5% to 11.4% and mental health conditions had trebled (2% to 6%.) Although, with regards to mental health, it was felt that the increase could be due to a better understanding and recognition of mental health conditions.

Solutions

In order to address this health crisis Public Health England’s One You campaign will be reaching out to 40 to 60 year olds to help people assess their lifestyle and then provides tools on how to adopt a healthy lifestyle. These tools include apps like Couch to 5K, Alcohol Checker and Easy Meals.

Other similar solutions include Croydon Council’s online health programme, JustBe, which aims to get local people to adopt a healthier lifestyle by offering a number of recommendations and pointing Croydon residents to local services. To get their messages across they use a variety of tools such as apps, podcasts, expert advice, videos, diet plans and exercise routes.

At the Lake Foundation, we’re aiming to get people active through our free cycling club which is open to everyone. A limited number of bikes and helmets are available. For more information email us

Conclusions

Public Health England’s analysis concluded that compared to 20 years ago:

“Men aged 40 to 60 are:

• more likely to be obese
• less likely to smoke and less likely to drink alcohol (although most do)
• more likely to suffer from a heart condition
• more likely to be diabetic
• more likely to report suffering from a mental health disorder

Women aged 40 to 60 are:

• more likely to be obese;
• less likely to smoke and less likely to drink alcohol
• more likely to be diabetic
• more likely to report suffering from a mental health disorder”

Although the health of middle aged people seems to be declining, there is hope. We can turn things around if everyone makes simple changes to their lifestyle.

On 8^th November 2016 Target Ovarian Cancer will be holding an event called Being Together in Hertfordshire. This is a free event for all women with ovarian cancer and will take place at the Jurys Inn Hotel in Watford from 10am – 4:30pm and will include lunch and refreshments.

Feedback  from previous Being Together events have shown that these days are extremely beneficial in helping women feel less isolated and more knowledgeable about ovarian cancer:

“The whole day has been brilliant. The hospitality was superb and the quality of the event was excellent”

 The event is an ideal opportunity for women to meet those with similar experiences and put their questions to a panel of experts. Women will also have the opportunity to take part in workshops surrounding living well, such as nutrition and relaxation. Although the event is free booking is essential.

You can book a place at www.targetovariancancer.org.uk/hertfordshire or by calling Target Ovarian Cancer on 020 7923 5475.

This week researchers from the University of Otago in New Zealand published the results from their study which showed that taking a short walk after a meal may be effective in controlling the blood glucose levels of type 2 diabetics.

The researchers conducted this study to expand on the current advice that regular physical activity is effective in diabetes management. They wanted to determine whether the timing of  physical activity in relation to meals enhances the benefit of physical activity.

How did the researchers explore this?

To explore this, researchers conducted a study with 41 adults with type 2 diabetes. Participants either took part in 30 minutes of physical activity every day or were advised to walk for 10 minutes after their main meal. Both of these scenarios met the t physical activity guidelines for people with type 2 diabetes.   The blood glucose level of participants was then  measured 3 hours after each main meal.

What did they find?

The researchers found that  blood glucose levels were 12% lower when participants had walked after their meals compared to if they had just carried out physical activity once a day.  They also determined that the improvement was enhanced after the evening meal (22%), as this is the meal where the most carbohydrate is eaten and when people are more inactive.

What were their conclusions?

The study concluded that

“The benefits relating to physical activity following meals suggests that current guidelines should be amended to specify post-meal activity, particularly when meals contain  a substantial amount of carbohydrate.”

The importance of this research

The black community is three times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than their white counterparts and the African and Caribbean diet tends to be quite rich in carbohydrate so this research is helpful for black type 2 diabetics in understanding how they can manage their condition.

As well as following your doctor’s advice on the type of diet you should be consuming, as a type 2 diabetic, make sure you are engaging in enough physical activity and from the results of this research, taking a short walk after your main meal appears to be of benefit.

Reference

Reynolds, A.N., Mann, J.I., Williams, S. et al. Diabetologia (2016). doi:10.1007/s00125-016-4085-2

The Macmillan Information Centre in St Georges Hospital, Tooting has teamed up with the charity Thrive to support cancer patients in Wandsworth through a gardening group.

Thrive is a charity that has been in existence for 35 years and they use gardening to bring about positive changes in the lives of people with a disability, who are experiencing ill-health,  are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable.  This means they help people with a variety of disabilities and diseases such as mental ill-health, stroke, heart disease,  visual impairment, dementia and learning disabilities.

Their work is based on evidence that has shown that gardening improves physical and mental health which has led to the field of social and therapeutic horticulture.  This is where formal programmes involving plants and gardens are used to improve health and well-being and also communication and thinking skills.

Thrive has described the specific benefits and these are:

• Better physical health through exercise and muscle strengthening
• Improved mental health through a sense of purpose,  achieving a sense of peace and tranquillity, restoring attention and stress alleviation
• Reduction in isolation and exclusion through group work and connecting with others
• The development of skills which can lead to improved employment opportunities

Gardening and Cancer Support

As a result of the success of gardening in the above diseases, Macmillan Cancer Support has teamed up with Thrive to organise an interactive gardening group for residents of Wandsworth who are living with and beyond cancer. The programme will be led by a trained horticulturist and is available in all weather conditions as there are facilities for indoor gardening work across the many greenhouses in Battersea Park.

Each programme will last for 8 weeks and those who are interested just have to complete a very simple registration form.

More information

For more information please download the flyer below, call Macmillan on 0208 725 2677 or email  cancer.information@stgeorges.nhs.uk

Macmillan Cancer Care and Croydon Health Services are inviting anyone affected by cancer to their upcoming health and well-being event on Tuesday 13^th September 2016 from 2:30pm to 7:30pm. This event has been organised for people who have completed or are near the completion of their cancer treatment.  The event aims to provide patients with the information and support needed to improve their well-being with speakers covering a range of topics including diet, stress, exercise, work and sexuality.

The event will take place at: Oasis Restaurant, 1^st Floor, Croydon University Hospital

To book your place on this course please call Macmillan on 0208 401 3441 or email  ch-tr.wellbeingMCS@nhs.net

For more information please download the poster and the invitation letter below.

If you’re a man and have had a conversation with your GP about the PSA test, Prostate Cancer UK would like to hear from you.

Prostate Cancer UK knows, anecdotally, that men have mixed experiences when speaking to their GP about the PSA test, but they would like to collect and record this information formally to help inform their campaigning work.  They are inviting anyone who has had a conversation with their GP about the PSA test to complete a short survey asking how the conversation with your GP went and how this impacted your decision whether or not to have the test.

What is the PSA Test?

PSA stands for Prostate Specific Antigen and the PSA test measures the amount of PSA in the blood.

PSA is a protein produced by cells in the prostate and it is normal for men to have a small amount of PSA in their blood.  A high level of PSA in the blood suggests that there is a problem with a man’s prostate. For example, they may have an enlarged prostate, a prostate infection, or it could be something more serious like prostate cancer. Additionally, men can have a raised PSA if they take part in vigorous exercise or sexual intercourse in the 48 hours before they have a PSA test, or if they have a urine infection.

This means that when it comes to diagnosing prostate cancer the PSA test is not the best test as it isn’t accurate enough to determine whether a man has prostate cancer or not. In fact 76% of men with a raised PSA do not have prostate cancer.

The PSA test can be helpful in diagnosing prostate cancer if a man’s PSA level is extremely high (in the hundreds of thousands) but the challenge arises when PSA levels are slightly or moderately raised, then the test becomes hard to interpret.

Also, it is important to note that the PSA test can actually miss prostate cancer in some men because in 2% of men with fast-growing prostate cancer, PSA levels remain normal.

Why is Prostate Cancer UK Conducting a Survey?

The PSA test can be quite confusing for the reasons mentioned above. Hence why it is not used as a screening test and hence why men have to think carefully before having the test, if they don’t have symptoms. Therefore the conversations men have with their GP about the test are extremely important.

GPs need to provide men with accurate, balanced information about the PSA and men need  to feel empowered to make an informed decision about  whether they should have  a PSA test once they have spoken to their GP.

Through their survey Prostate Cancer UK would like to ensure that the conversations that men are having with their GPs are useful and if they are not, a survey like this provides much-needed information on what needs to be improved.

How Can I Take Part in The Survey?

If you’d like to take part in this survey, please visit Prostate Cancer UK’s website here. If you’d prefer to complete a paper version of the survey please email us and we’ll arrange for one to be sent out to you.

Is there Anything Else I Need to Know?

It is very important that black men are aware of the symptoms of prostate cancer as black men are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as their white counterparts. The symptoms of prostate cancer are:

• a weak urine flow
• needing to urinate more often, especially at night
• a feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly
• difficulty starting to urinate
• dribbling urine
• needing to rush to the toilet – you may occasionally leak urine before you get there
• blood in your urine.

These symptoms may be a sign of prostate cancer but could also be due to other prostate conditions such as an enlarged prostate or an infection.

For more information about black men’s risk of developing prostate cancer visit Prostate Cancer UK’s website here, view the video below or if you have any concerns you can call their helpline 0800 074 8383