Over 160 GP’s and pharmacists attended the Silver Star Forum to hear Earl Howe, the Health Minister and Rt. Hon John Healey MP, the Shadow Health Secretary discuss the new health landscape on Wednesday 16th February 2011.
The seminar held in the House of Commons played host to some of the leading voices of the healthcare profession, including Chair of the Health Select Committee, Rt. Hon Stephen Dorrell MP, Professor David Taylor of the University of London, Professor Naveed Sattar, Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the University of Glasgow and Dr. Sarah Jarvis, GP and author of ‘Diabetes for Dummies’. The speakers and attendees discussed commissioning and its impact on community pharmacists, with Valerie Vaz MP chairing a plenary session assessing the impact of reforms on diabetes and the role community pharmacists can play.
Earl Howe, the Health Minister, spoke about the need for “a patient centred NHS that puts health professionals in the driving seat so that they could act to prevent conditions like diabetes”. Earl Howe also presented Matthew Hancock MP with the award for the Silver Star 50 Day Parliamentary Health Challenge. The Member of Parliament for West Suffolk said: “I am delighted to find out that I am the MP who walks the farthest. We often don’t realise the impact that simple daily activity can have on warding off diseases like diabetes”.
Launched in January 2007, Silver Star is a registered charity campaigning to provide diabetes awareness. The Charity runs Mobile Diabetes Units (MDU) that carry out important diabetes testing and promote culturally sensitive healthcare, with particular regard to the high prevalence of diabetes in the major towns and cities of Britain. The Units travel to local community centres, schools, work places and other organisations. The Mobile Diabetes Assessment Units have testing equipment, beds, washing facilities and an entrance for disabled people.
Rt. Hon Keith Vaz MP, Silver Star Patron and Vice-Chair of the Diabetes APPG said: “Silver Star’s event successfully brought together policy makers and those affected by Government plans for commissioning. The speeches and discussions held this afternoon will help dictate the effectiveness of our health service and community services, such as pharmacists for years to come.”
Dr. Malde Modwhadia, Silver Star Chairman of Trustees said: “I am delighted at the turn out at the Forum. Prevention of diabetes is essential because is it an extremely costly condition for this country in terms of both lives and money.”
“With a person dying every 10 seconds and the NHS spending £1 million an hour on diabetes and its complications, it is essential that the health service dedicates the necessary resources and services towards raising awareness and treating this condition.”
The event was supported by MSD and AAH Pharmaceuticals.
Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell MP, Chair of the Health Select Committee
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and Author of Diabetes for Dummies; Valerie Vaz MP; Member of Health Select Committee
Rt Hon John Healey MP, Shadow Health Secretary; Valerie Vaz MP; Member of Health Select Committee
Matthew Hancock MP ; Earl Howe, Minister at the Department of Health
Willowbrook Primary School in Thurncourt hosted a Fun Run for its
students to raise awareness and funds for local diabetes charity,
Silver Star.
Students at Willowbrook dressed up for the Fun Run, and the class
and child who raised the most for Silver Star were awarded prize
medals and trophies. It was a fun packed family day complete with a
special appearance by LCFC’s Filbert the Fox.
Silver Star’s Mobile Diabetes Unit was also at the Fun Run providing
free diabetes tests and diabetes information to parents and
teachers. The charity also awarded two lucky children with unique
Silver Star costumes.
The Founder Patron of the Silver Star Keith Vaz MP handed out the
prizes and celebrated the Fun Run at Willowbrook Primary School.
Keith Vaz MP said:
"I thoroughly enjoyed the Fun Run at Willowbrook Primary School. I
welcome the School’s move to highlight the benefits of staying
active and the dangers of diabetes through a fun day out for
students and parents.”
“I would also like to congratulate the children at Willowbrook for
their tireless fundraising for Silver Star.”
Free diabetes tests have been given
out to members of the public as part of a day aiming to raise
awareness of the condition.
Silver Star held events in Leicester,
London and Goa, India to mark World Diabetes Day. Professor Kamlesh
Khunti, of Leicester University and Dr. Malde Modhwadia, chairman of
the Trustees of the Silver Star, also spoke at the event.
72 Members of Parliament with Deputy Prime Minister
Nick Clegg, Opposition Leader Ed Miliband and Community and Local
Government Secretary of State Eric Pickles attended the launch of
the Silver Star Health Challenge on diabetes at the Houses of
Parliament on Wednesday 27th October 2010 as part of
Diwali at Westminster celebrations. MPs took the quick and easy Type
2 diabetes test to help raise awareness of the need for public
testing for the disease and to mark the launch of Ethnic Minority
Diabetes day.
As part of the Challenge, MPs were issued with a
Silver Star Pedometer that will measure the amount of steps taken
over 50 Parliamentary Days. The public can keep track of their MPs
position on the Silver Star website and the winner of the 50 day
challenge will be announced in February 2011.
A hundred golfers from across the
country took part in the Asian Golf Society Open in Leicester. The
event started 11 years ago with just a handful of players.
Many of the city's top companies
supported the event which attracted interest from various media
forums including television, radio, local and national press.
The event was organised to support
the work of diabetes awareness charity Silver Star which attempts to
find those people in the country who live with the disease without
knowing it.
Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan, Shilpa
Shetty and Sanjay Dutt joined together at a gala dinner
in support of the work of diabetes awareness charity Silver Star.
The
city of Mumbai will be the permanent base for the new Mobile
Diabetes Unit (MDU), which was presented to Big B by the then Prime
Minister Gordon Brown. It will travel the area testing
thousands of Indians for the illness, which can prove fatal if left
untreated.
The dinner was a huge success, with more than 700
guests showing their support and appreciation for the work of Silver
Star, which has now established 4 MDUs across the UK and in India.
Not only did this event celebrate the launch of the ‘Amitabh’ bus –
which will be put into action in Mumbai later this year – but it
also kicked off the fundraising for bus number 5, to be based in
Birmingham.
Silver Star has long had the support of Amitabh Bachchan and Shilpa
Shetty. In October 2009, Mr. Bachchan launched India’s first MDU in
Goa, where the charity opened its first office on the Sub-Continent.
So far, 7025 people have been tested around the area, an excellent
start but a long way off its target of the whole state.
Fourteen million people in India have been diagnosed with diabetes,
a massive figure by any account but one which does not take into
account the number of people living undiagnosed with the condition,
which is recognised to be the world’s fifth biggest killer and is up
to 6 times more common in South Asian people.
Silver Star intends to put a halt to this worrying trend – by 2025,
it is predicted that India will be the diabetes capital of the
world. The only way to stop this is to work from the grassroots up,
raising awareness, offering preventative advice and giving free
testing. And this is what the charity will continue to do, in India,
in the UK and elsewhere in the world.
Legendary Indian superstar Amitabh Bachchan has launched
Silver Star’s first Mobile Diabetes Unit in India.
The State of Goa will now be the permanent home of Silver
Star’s first mobile unit on the Sub-Continent and the MDU ,
complete with testing equipment, a bed and other
facilities, will travel around the State offering free
diabetes testing to all.
Amitabh Bachchan is the charity’s International Patron
launching the Leicester based diabetes centre in August
2008. The star of the silver screen honoured for his
artistic and charitable work throughtout the world has just
been announced as the presenter of Big Boss, the Indian
version of Big Brother.
A galaxy of wellwishers, and thousands of local people were
present at the launch at Goa Hyundai, Verna . The MDU was
launched in the presence of Silver Star’s founder patron,
Keith Vaz MP, Goa’s Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Silver
Star India Patron Captain Krishna Nair and many others .
The entire cost of the MDU was donated by Nana Bandakar a
local businessman. Also present were Goa Trustees Dilip
Francis, Sushila Mendes and Dr Angelo Ferreira. During his
speech Amitabh, 67 two weeks before, announced his own
surprise on the day – a donation of Rs 11 Lakh.
The charity has had huge success in the UK, where its Mobile
Unit has so far tested a total of 4298 people. India is
catching up since only January 2009, a total of twenty four
‘Diabetes Camps’ have been held throughout the state of Goa.
The MDU will serve to make this free facility available to
even more people. Over thousand people have been tested.
This is only the beginning for Silver Star in India – Mumbai
and Delhi will be next to benefit from free testing for all.
India is host to a shocking 50.8 billion diabetics, a
massive figure by any standards but one which does not even
take into account the number of people living undiagnosed
with the condition, which is recognised to be the world’s
fifth biggest killer and is up to 6 times more common in
South Asian people.
Health Secretary gives seal of
approval to Diabetes Charity
- 8th November
Health
Secretary Alan Johnson MP visited Leicester on Saturday 8
November to review the progress made at the new Silver Star
Diabetes Centre. This week on Friday 14 November, it is
World Diabetes Day and the local charity is thrilled that
the Health Secretary called in to look at the work being
done at the Silver Star centre and to take a diabetes test.
The premises on Uppingham Road were opened by Bollywood
legend Amitabh Bachchan in August this year.
The charity
was founded by Leicester East MP Rt Hon Keith Vaz in July
2007 after he discovered that he had type 2 diabetes. The
Government currently spends a million pounds an hour on
dealing with diabetes related illness.
Secretary of
State for Health Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP said:
‘It is a pleasure to visit the Silver Star diabetes centre
today, the centre provides an excellent service and is
hugely important in the prevention of diabetes. It is vital
that the health service focuses on the prevention of
diabetes.'
‘I want to
congratulate the Silver Star charity for the excellent work
which they do.’
Dr Malde Modhwadia Chairman of Trustees said:
”We are delighted the health secretary himself came to see
our work. Only by proper screening we can deal with the real
causes of diabetes and prevent them literally killing people”
Keith Vaz MP said:
"It was great to have the Health Secretary here in Leicester
at the Silver Star Diabetes Centre, it shows the government's
commitment to the prevention of diabetes. I am pleased to
say that Alan Johnson passed the diabetes test with flying
colours!"
"It is vital
that people take the test, then you will know whether you
require treatment. In the long run it will save the NHS
millions of pounds and will save lives."
The Silver Star Appeal has
selected a vehicle to become the Mobile Diabetes Unit (MDU).
The vehicle is to come from Ford
Sandcliffe motors. The Sandicliffe Group Commercial Sales Director,
David Haynes, has said "Sandicliffe specialise in fitting vehicles
to exacting specifications and are pleased to be working with The
Silver Star Appeal in this very worthy cause."
The vehicle will be Silver Star
Appeal's first mobile diabetes assessment unit and will be fitted
out with a bed, sink, seating, and storage and will have disabled
access.
It is hoped that the vehicle will
be ready for a launch at the Diwali celebrations in November. Once
the vehicle is launched it will travel round local community centres,
doctor surgeries and work places offering free diabetes assessment
test to those who want it.
The Silver Star Appeal was at the Asian Lifestyle
Show displaying the new prize for the current lottery draw – a brand
new Ford ka.
In between the multitude of appearance by various Bollywood stars,
including Shah Rukh Khan, the Silver Star Appeal managed to raise
both funds and awareness.
The draw for the raffle will be made on Sunday
28th October. For further information about where you can buy
tickets for the draw just click on the tab on the top of the screen
which says “raffle”.
The Silver Star Lottery was drawn in style at a Gala Dinner in aid
of the Silver Star Appeal.
Hundreds of people attended the event, which was
held at The Athena on Rutland Street, in Leicester including a
number of well known celebrities.
Tre Azam from the Apprentice, the England and
Worcestershire cricketer Vikram Solanki and the Rt Hon Geoff Hoon,
Minister for Europe, were all at the Athena to show their support
for the Silver Star Appeal.
Before the evening £20,000, had been raised
towards the cost of a Mobile Diabetes Assessment Unit.
The much anticipated drawing of the Silver Star
Lottery was the focus of the evening's celebrations and there was a
last minute rush in lottery sales as the guests thronged to buy
their lottery tickets.
The 3 prizes in the Silver Star Lottery were a
week's holiday in Ananda, a £1000 in cash and the much coveted first
prize a brand new Honda Jazz donated by Francis Honda.
By the end of the evening over £15,000 had been
raised which will all go towards the cost of Leicester’s own Mobile
Diabetes Assessment Unit.
The former Coronation Street and Dinner
Ladies star, Shobna Gulati, visited Bestway cash and carry in
Leicester. She came to raise awareness of the issue of
diabetes, particularly in the Asian community, and to show her
support for the Silver Star Appeal.
Cherie Blair QC was the Guest of Honour at the Silver Star Appeal
Tea Party held in London.
Despite the poor weather the event was a great
success and Mrs Blair was able to meet with a wide range of
successful women from all walks of life; from the worlds of business
through to sport and the professions.
Mrs Blair chatted to everybody in the room and
then listened to a talk on the importance of diabetes testing form a
practising GP Dr Hema Patel. Mrs Blair saw for herself how simple it
is to do a diabetes test when Dr Patel did a test on the manager of
the restaurant at the Crowne Plaza St James.
Mrs Blair gave a short address. She said she was
"delighted to be able to support the work of the Silver Star Appeal."
She said that diabetes was an issue that she felt
very strongly about and that it is vital that people get tested so
the disease can be treated before life threatening complications
arise."
The Silver Star Appeal was the special guest of Leicester City
Football Club in May as the football season drew to a close.
Filbert the Fox, the Leicester City Mascot,
spearheaded the fundraising appeals as he posed for photographs with
the Silver Star Car which is the first prize in the Silver Star
Lottery.
As the fans streamed into the Walker's Stadium to
watch Leicester vs Norwich many stopped to admire Filbert and the
Silver Star Car, a Honda Jazz donated by Francis Honda, and purchase
their lottery tickets for just £1!
In partnership with LCFC the Silver Star Appeal
was able to raise awareness of diabetes.
One of Britain's leading soap stars is encouraging children to back
the Silver Star Appeal charity campaign. Rudolph Walker, who plays
Patrick in EastEnders, was in Leicester recently to show his support
for the Appeal.
The enthusiastic youngsters at Rushey Mead School
bombarded Mr Walker with questions such as how he got into acting
and indeed how old he was! Rudolph then launched the Silver Star
Song Competition.
Year 8 pupil Hamdi Hassan said: "I couldn't
believe it when he walked in. I was trying to get him to tell me
what happens next on EastEnders, but he wouldn't.”
The competition encourages the pupils to write
and perform a song, with the winners performing at a charity gala
which could win their school £500.
The Silver Star Song Competition is part of the
Silver Star for Schools initiative which aims to raise the
importance of a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet in Leicester's
schools.
Rudolph Walker said it was great to be in
Leicester and with such an enthusiastic audience. He also praised
the Silver Star Song Competition and that he thought everybody
should enter.
Dionne Warwick, the international icon who has had hits in the
charts since the 1960s including “Walk on By”, visited Francis Honda
in Mountsorrel in February 2007 to launch the Silver Star Lottery.
She was in the UK only for three days.
She was greeted by Robin Francis and fans from
all over Leicestershire to the tune of "Do you know the way to San
Josa." She then went on to chat with fans and sign copies of her
latest CDs that were raffled off in aid of the Silver Star Appeal.
It was then down to the main business of the
evening when Dionne formally launched the Silver Star Car that is
the first prize in the Silver Star Lottery. The car, a Honda Jazz
was donated by Francis Honda who were also hosting the event.
Having flown in only hours before, Dionne said
she was really pleased to be in Leicester and to be associated with
the Silver Star Appeal.
She also said that diabetes was an issue that was
close to her heart and that it was so important that people get
themselves tested if they feel they might be at risk.
Everybody was thrilled that Dionne was
able to come to Leicester to launch the Silver Star Car that is the
first prize in the Silver Star Lottery.
TV star Esther Rantzen was in Leicester in January 2007 to launch
the Silver Star Appeal
The Silver Start Appeal hopes to raise £50,000 to
get a Mobile Assessment Centre up and running in the Leicester Area.
The money will go towards staffing and equipping a minibus so that
it can start its important work of testing people for diabetes and
high cholesterol in the in Leicester area. Once it is equipped the
Mobile Assessment Centre will have the capacity to test thousands of
people a year.
The Mobile Assessment Centre also promotes
culturally sensitive health care within the south Asian and African-Caribbean
groups where there is a high prevalence of diabetes.
Esther Rantzen, who opened St Gabriel's Community
Centre 20 years ago said: "It is so important to keep ourselves
healthy and if there is a problem we need to discover it as soon as
possible. Diabetes can be extremely serious.
"It is so important to keep ourselves healthy and
if there is a problem we need to discover it as soon as possible.
Diabetes can be extremely serious."
