This is Sweet Resolution’s very first interview. From time to time, I hope to interview leaders and movers/shakers in diabetes issues around the world, to gain a broader perspective of global diabetes issues, raise awareness of the challenges necessary to overcome, and share unique and varied approaches and solutions to these challenges.
For my first interview, here to speak with us is Merith Basey, the Global Program Director of AYUDA, American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad. AYUDA was founded in 1996 by two teenagers, Nick Cuttriss and Jesse Fuchs-Simon, after they witnessed first hand the socioeconomic and emotional hardships associated with diabetes in Latin America. For a full history of AYUDA, click here. Today, AYUDA continues to raise awareness of and promote sustainable development for diabetes communities throughout the Americas by using youth as agents for change.
Merith, originally from England, joined the AYUDA family in 2004, and lived in Ecuador from July 2005 to August 2006 to help to raise diabetes awareness, reach and educate new and recently diagnosed children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and facilitate the unification of the diabetes community within the country.
Sweet Resolution (SR): Welcome, Merith. Can you talk a little bit about Ayuda? What are Ayuda’s current goals and activities?
Merith Basey (MB): AYUDA’s mission is to raise awareness of and promote sustainable development for diabetes communities using YOUTH as agents for change. What does this mean? It means AYUDA takes young, passionate individuals from around the world and empowers them to help make a difference in the lives of children with diabetes in countries where basic diabetes education and support is not readily available. AYUDA has set up diabetes camps in eight different countries and continues to reach out to diabetes communities in most need of support. In July 2006, AYUDA initiated its first diabetes education and leadership training camp in Belize City, Belize. AYUDA continues to expand its focus through the commencement of support in Croatia and in the creation of Youth Leadership Awards to empower youth leaders from diabetes communities around the world to be ambassadors for their own camps and associations, encouraging them to share best practices with other international youth leaders.
SR: What, in your opinion, is most needed in Ecuador to improve health outcomes for both children and adults living with diabetes?
MB: Above all we need to see more diabetes EDUCATION and support for children with diabetes and their families. In addition, local doctors need to begin to be more collaborative, working more closely with local organisations to ensure better control and consequently better health for their patients.
SR: How has Ayuda helped with this?
MB: AYUDA Inc has been working with children with Type 1 diabetes in Ecuador since 1996. One of AYUDA’s main events is the national, annual diabetes camping program “Campo Amigo Ecuador” which AYUDA set up in 1999 and has been involved with ever since. The week-long camp provides an opportunity for children from across Ecuador to meet other children with diabetes, share experiences, have fun and learn how to better manage their condition. They learn that they are not alone and that they should not feel ashamed. Two years ago AYUDA helped found the Fundación Diabetes Juvenil Ecuador (FDJE) a local diabetes organization in Quito run by parents of children with Type 1 diabetes. The Foundation provides constant education for children with diabetes and their families and helps unite the local diabetes community throughout the year. The FDJE is also able to support children from the lowest-income families with diabetes medication and support.
SR: Talk about some specific conseqences (health, economic, educational, etc) of diabetes that you’ve seen in children in Ecuador living with diabetes.
MB: The effects of poor control of diabetes can be seen at an early age in numerous children with DM1 (diabetes type 1) in Ecuador. We see relatively recently diagnosed children with HbA1cs [a measure of blood sugar over a period of 3 months] of over 16%, adolescents with retinopathy and kidney failure and young adults on dialysis. Some young adults do not see 30. As we know and teach – these terrible consequences can be prevented and for those already experiencing problems the effects can be reduced or slowed. Education is key. Lack of money to buy sufficient supplies for constant blood glucose testing is a major problem. A lack of awareness regarding diabetes means children and adults can be discriminated against and isolated from their peers. The problems are endless and all-encompassing.
SR: How will a UN Resolution help kids living with diabetes in Ecuador?
MB: The UN Resolution will encourage the Ecuadorian government to pay attention to diabetes. This means the government will have to be more accountable to people with diabetes in Ecuador – hopefully this will lead to increased medical support for people with diabetes, increased funding for local diabetes associations and a brighter future for people living with diabetes in Ecuador.
SR: Ayuda has done so much already on its own, but what can a UN Resolution do that Ayuda (or any non-profit organization) can’t do? How can a UNR help Ayuda accomplish its goals?
MB: A UN resolution will oblige local governments to focus on diabetes. There will no longer be any excuses. Changing national policy is crucial.
SR: Thank you, Merith! This has been very informative. Is there anything else you’d like to tell our audience about Ayuda and diabetes in Ecuador?
MB: AYUDA offers volunteering opportunities for young people to make tangible change at an early age. We believe in youth as agents for change. The UN resolution is about encouraging people to face diabetes as a global issue. It has the capacity to affect each and everyone of us and should not be ignored. If people are interested in making a difference in the lives of children living with diabetes please be sure to visit our website www.ayudainc.net – as AYUDA’s motto says: together we are stronger! Juntos somos más fuertes!
