Tokai Lions Club hosts successful diabetes screening campaign
Lions Club of Tokai members raise awareness and screen residents for diabetes. From left to right standing – Carmen Smith, Selwyn Begindt, Lynette Davids, Mark Rossouw and Ian Grove; seated – Di Powell and Sue Charles.
Image: Supplied
On Saturday, November 15, the Lions Club of Tokai hosted a diabetes screening and awareness campaign at the Blue Route Mall shopping centre. The initiative coincided with International Diabetes Month, observed globally throughout November.
Diabetes is one of the service pillars of Lions International, and the club said it was essential to highlight the impact of this chronic and often life-threatening illness.
Many people living with diabetes remain unaware of their condition until complications develop, often when early intervention is no longer possible.
According to the organisation, diabetes was responsible for approximately 1.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024.
It is also the second-highest cause of death among adults in South Africa, and nearly 700 children between the ages of six and 14 are diagnosed with diabetes each month at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.
During the Tokai campaign, the Lions Club successfully screened 50 adults and two children for diabetes. One individual was referred for further medical assessment after presenting with elevated blood sugar levels.
Special thanks were extended to all club members who contributed, with particular appreciation for Lion Di Powell, who administered the finger-prick tests and conducted the blood screenings.