Landmark Group gears up to host Sixth Beat Diabetes Walkathon in the UAE

Landmark Group, the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, is set to host its sixth Beat Diabetes Walkathon on Friday, 12 December, 2014 at Zabeel Park in Dubai. 

The UAE edition of the walkathon is part of the Group’s community-centric initiatives held every year across the GCC and India to raise awareness about the condition. Following the overwhelming public response to walkathons hosted in India, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, Landmark Group is set to host one each in Oman on 5 December, and Saudi Arabia on 11 December, ahead of the Dubai event. Participants are invited to register online on www.beatdiabetes.me by 6 December and at registration counters at Centrepoint stores in Bur Dubai and Mall of the Emirates from 1:00 pm - 9:00pm on Friday, 5 December and Saturday, 6 December.

New statistics from International Diabetes Federation’s (IDF) seventh diabetes atlas have revealed that almost 19 percent of the population in the UAE (approximately 750,000 people) is affected by the lifestyle condition. The UAE ranks fifth in the region for diabetes prevalence. A further alarming projection is that over 50 percent of the estimated 363,000 diabetes-related deaths in 2014, in the MENA region will be of individuals under the age of 60 years. Globally 387 million people are diabetic and the numbers are set to double over the next 20 years.

The study showed that more than 79,000 children developed type 1 diabetes and more than 21 million live births were affected during pregnancy, in 2013. In the Middle East and North Africa, one in 10 adults have diabetes with more women than men affected by the condition.

Landmark Group, which has spear-headed initiatives to raise awareness about diabetes in the region, has also created a special exhibition of portraits titled ‘Diabetes Champions’, lauding real-life heroes who live with the condition, clicked by ace photographer Siddharth Siva. With accents of blue reflected in their clothes and accessories, the photos celebrate the spirit of people who stand bravely in the face of diabetes and effectively manage the condition through leading disciplined lifestyles.

Diabetes is a serious condition, and although it does not have any permanent cure, it can however, be effectively managed by living a healthy lifestyle, staying active, eating healthy and getting regularly tested. Landmark Group’s Beat Diabetes initiative is set to reinforce this message and spread greater awareness about the condition at the sixth annual walkathon.

Landmark Group aims to bring the community together at Zabeel Park on Friday, December 12, and make it a morning of fun-filled activities for participants.  

This year, the Landmark Group has partnered with Al Jalila Foundation to raise funds to support diabetes research and healthcare in the UAE. To meet its objective, a fund-raising drive initiated on 1 November will run until 12 December. Customers who shop at any of Landmark Group’s 500 retail and hospitality outlets will have the option to donate to the cause by adding AED5 or multiples of 5 to their total shopping bills.

Meanwhile, a nominal participation fee of AED20 per adult and AED10 per head for children between eight and 15 years will be charged when participants register with proceeds allocated to the Al Jalila Foundation.