World Diabetes Day News Update

Approximately 450 Tobagonians and Trinidadians participated in the Diabetes in the Limelight Jamboree without any financial cost to them. Our emphasis for the Jamboree was diabetes education and prevention. The medical slate included doctors, dentist, registered nurses, a team of technicians from Tobago Medical Laboratory and nutritionists. Participants in the Jamboree began by completing a registration form, giving demographic information such as age, gender, contact numbers and some medical history. After registration , participants visited the booths where they received on-site testing including: blood glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, nutritional screening, diabetes risk test, foot exams, dental exams, doctors' consultations, weight, body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat measures. Participants also received general diabetes education and educational literature from the informational booths. Participants also viewed PowerPoint presentations on all aspects of diabetes.

Special prominence was placed on primary school children with two major activities - the children's story-telling and activities booth; and the children's art work from the primary schoolchildren 'diabetes prevention' poster competition, which ran prior to the Jamboree in the weeks leading up to the Jamboree. In the story-telling and activities booth led by Principal Rosetta Bovell, the school children listened and participated in stories relevant to diabetes, did colouring and created artwork on site with healthy eating and nutrition as the theme. The artwork (theme - diabetes prevention) from the winners of the primary school poster competition was displayed at the Jamboree. Along with the services offered, BCDF also honoured the oldest married couple (Mr. and Mrs. Dalton and Ruth Andrews) in Tobago for their contribution to the village of Belle Garden. There were also several free prize giveaways. The Jamboree ended with the outstanding performances by the Roxborough Chorale and calypsonian Carl Hector aka Dagga.