VOLUME 10 NUMBER 4 • NOVEMBER 2013
145
SA JOURNAL OF DIABETES & VASCULAR DISEASE
DIABETES NEWS
B
lowing winds and pouring rain were no
match for the 16 cyclists who departed
from Johannesburg on Thursday morning 7
November with the intension of cycling 1
200 km to George in a bid to raise funds and
awareness for diabetes. The 2013 Changing
Diabetes cycle relay started at Novo Nordisk
offices in Rivonia, Johannesburg, and the
teams arrived in George 48 hours later.
The four exciting teams that took part in
this gruelling 48-hour, non-stop marathon
included: Team Novo Nordisk (all with type 1
diabetes), representing the event’s sponsors;
Team C4D (Cycle for Diabetes); Bonitas pro-
cycling team; and a celebrity team that was
headed by legendary former Springbok,
Joel Stransky and Genelle van der Riet, who
came third in her category in this year’s Iron
Man competition.
Joel Stransky said at the finish ‘cycling
isn’t just a thrilling sport, it is also an amazing
way to help others’. That’s what the annual
Changing Diabetes
®
cycle relay is all about.
Every year in November, local and interna-
tional teams, including many individuals living
with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, take this
opportunity to give back to others through
something they’re passionate about.
The mission for this year’s challenge was
to raise funds to ensure that children from
disadvantaged communities in the Western
Cape have reliable access to the diabetes
medication they need; and the message?
With appropriate treatment and lifestyle
management, people living with this chronic
Novo Nordisk Changing Diabetes
®
cycle relay
condition can have long, active, engaged
and healthy lives.
Speaking at the Garden Route mall in
George, Novo Nordisk marketing manager
David Broomfield said ‘last year I flew to
George but this year I decided to drive as
part of the support team, and I must say, I
have a new respect for these guys’. Broom-
field was speaking before handing over a
cheque to the tune of R130 000.00 to the
man behind the event and programme for
the children, George general practitioner, Dr
Jacques van Staden.
Accepting the cheque, Dr van Staden
said he established the C4D team when
he realised what a struggle it was for some
of the families in his community to afford
diabetes medication for their children.
‘While taking care of these children on a
day-to-day basis, I know how important this
medication and education is’, said van Staden.
‘In events like these, you know that at some
point you’re going to suffer. You must just
have the determination to get past that and
keep going. It’s the result, for both yourself
and others, that makes it all worthwhile.’
For further information about the
ChangingDiabetes®cyclerelay,NovoNordisk
and diabetes, visit
/
Diabetes News
Dr Jacques van Staden with the kids that benefit from the money raised. They were at the finish of the 48-hour
Changing Diabetes cycle relay.
Dr van Staden and the team.
