Jim Dobbin MP takes up the pedometer challenge

Hari Dhillon, Jim Dobbin and Vineeta Rishi

Heywood and Middleton MP, Jim Dobbin, joined high profile parliamentarians at the annual diabetes charity event, the Silver Star Diabetes Health Challenge, at the House of Commons.

As part of Diwali at Westminster, Jim Dobbin MP took the quick and easy diabetes test to help raise awareness of the need for public to take the test of the condition. Special guests Hari Dhillon, Dr Michael Spence on BBC’s Holby City and Vineeta Rishi, Dr Jas Khella on BBC’s daytime drama Doctors, also joined in the efforts to highlight the problem of diabetes and handed Jim Dobbin MP with a pedometer.

As part of the challenge, MPs were issued with a Silver Star Diabetes Pedometer that will measure the amount of steps taken on a chosen day from the launch day until World Diabetes Day on 14 November 2013 to see who can take the most steps.

Matthew Hancock MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Education is the current holder of the 2012 Health Challenge. The winner of this year’s challenge will have their award presented by the Reverend Jesse Jackson at the Silver Star Diabetes’ Health and Diversity Breakfast Seminar on the 5 December 2013.

Every four minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with diabetes and consequently, the NHS spends £1 million an hour on diabetes and its related complications. Currently three million people in the UK live with the condition, and an estimated one million people may have diabetes without knowing it.

Launched in January 2007, Silver Star is a Leicester-based charity which seeks to raise awareness of diabetes through advocacy and delivering free diabetes testing and lifestyle advice to the general public. The charity runs four Mobile Diabetes Units (MDU) two in the UK based in Leicester and London and two in India in Goa and Mumbai. The MDUs travel out into the community, to places of work, worship, community events, High Street and retail parks testing the public for free for diabetes and offering lifestyle advice.

The event was supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb, Astra Zeneca and Novo Nordisk.

Dr Modhwadia, Chairman of the Trustees for Silver Star Diabetes said: “I am delighted that so many MPs have decided to take the test and have taken the pedometer challenge to raise awareness of this largely unseen health condition.

Silver Star Diabetes has tested over 37,000 people for diabetes and continues to reach out to communities to raise awareness for the condition. Being tested is important to ensure that the condition is spotted early and people can get the right treatment as soon as possible.”

Jim Dobbin said: “People in Heywood and Middleton are suffering from diabetes, so it is great that Silver Star Diabetes take action to raise awareness for the condition. Helping people to lead healthy lifestyles is important, and testing people for diabetes plays a vital step towards achieving that."