UQ will join the international campaign to raise diabetes awareness when it turns one of its most prominent buildings blue on Thursday, November 13.
To mark the eve of World Diabetes Day, the northern side of the Forgan Smith building at the St Lucia Campus will be illuminated between 7pm and 11pm.
Director of UQ’s Centre for Burden of Disease and Cost-Effectiveness, Professor Theo Vos, congratulated the University on drawing attention to the condition expected to cost Australians $5.6 billion in health care expenditure in 2032, an increase of 400 percent in what we are currently spending.
“Raising awareness is important because there is considerable underdiagnosis and there are effective interventions with diet, exercise or drugs in early disease or pre-stages of disease that slow progression to worse outcomes,” Professor Vos said.
“More than two-thirds of diabetes can be attributed to increased body mass and physical inactivity and hence awareness of type 2 diabetes and its close link to obesity and sedentary life style is important knowledge to convey to the public.”
Established in 1991 and supported by the United Nations since 2006, World Diabetes Day aims to raise awareness, to urge governments to implement national policies for the care and treatment of diabetes, and to encourage individuals to get involved.
“Almost 1 million Australians are currently diagnosed with diabetes. However, for every person diagnosed, it is estimated that there is another who is not aware they are living with this chronic disease,” Diabetes Australia – Queensland CEO, Michelle Trute, said.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that arises when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
“Diabetes is not a fun disease to have,” Professor Vos said.
“We are much better at keeping people alive by dealing with the vascular complications of diabetes but that means from first diagnosis people live longer with the disease and have a longer career to suffer the multitude of disabling outcomes associated with it.”
Last year’s World Diabetes Day Monument Challenge saw 279 iconic monuments, including the Empire State Building, Japan’s Tokyo Tower, the London Eye and Sydney Opera House, all turn blue for a few hours.
“Last year, Queensland was the ‘bluest’ region in the world with 11 iconic structures participating in the global Monument Challenge. We already know that this year’s event will be even more successful with a massive 600 structures already registered on the World Diabetes Day website,” Ms Trute said.
“Diabetes Australia – Queensland is proud to join forces with the University of Queensland for this annual event and we hope to continue working together to raise awareness of this insidious disease into the future.”
The Forgan Smith Building is accessible via University Drive at UQ's St Lucia Campus.
Other Queensland landmarks which will be lit up on Thursday evening include:
• Queensland Parliament House – Corner of George Street and Alice Street, Brisbane
• Brisbane City Hall – King George Square, Adelaide Street, Brisbane
• Treasury Casino – 130 William Street, Brisbane
• Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) – Corner of Grey Street and Melbourne Street, South Brisbane
• Streets Beach, South Bank Parklands, South Brisbane
• Neville Bonner Building – 75 William Street, Brisbane
• Z Block – Queensland University of Technology, Gardens Point campus
• Civic Hall – Corner of Limestone Street and Nicholas Street, Ipswich
• Toowoomba City Hall – 590 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba
• Jubilee Park (Council Square and Fountain) – Corner of Wellington Street and Alfred Street, Mackay
• Moreton Bay Regional Council District Office Building – 220 Gympie Road, Strathpine
• Fountain at the Memorial Hall, Council Chambers, King Street, Caboolture
• Redcliffe Cultural Centre – Downs Street, Redcliffe
• Eddie De Vere Building – Corner of Currie Street and Bury Street, Nambour
• Strand Waterfall and Strand Fountain – The Strand, Townsville
• Fuller Place – Heeney Street, Chinchilla
• Gold Coast Arts Centre – 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise
• Gold Coast City Council Chambers Evandale Precinct (including Surfers Paradise Administration Centre) – 135 Bundall Road, Bundall/Surfers Paradise
Media: Penny Robinson at UQ Communications (07 3365 9723, penny.robinson@uq.edu.au) or Melissa Pizzato at Diabetes Australia – Queensland (07 3229 5625, 0416 913 761, melissap@diabetesqld.org.au)
