Local diabetes support group calls for donations of life saving insulin

THE Type 2 Diabetes Peer Support Group, which operates from Bellarine Community Health’s Portarlington site, is appealing for insulin donations to support international charity, Insulin for Life.
Insulin for Life collects and distributes excess insulin and other diabetes supplies to people in need around the world.
“We wanted to expand the reach of our Diabetes Peer Support group and offer help to even more people,” group ambassador Eddie Gaskin said.
Mr Gaskin, along with fellow group ambassador Lesley Gordon, launched the Peer Support Group earlier this year.
Both Mr Gaskin and Ms Gordon have Type 2 Diabetes and completed Bellarine Community Health’s EMPOWER Program.
The eight-week program combines exercise and education to assist people to self-manage their diabetes.
Mr Gaskin relies on insulin to manage his own diabetes and says he wants to help ensure those less fortunate can get the same access to life saving care.
“We’re asking if anyone has any surplus or left-over supplies of insulin or diabetes products to bring them along to one of our Peer Support Group sessions.”
Ms Gordon is urging people to look at their stocks of insulin products and see if they can support this cause.
“People often have an oversupply or surplus of products that can be used elsewhere to save a life,” she said.
All donated insulin and other products must be within the use-by-date.
Donations will be forwarded to the Insulin for Life organisation.
Insulin for Life distributes around 300 thousand millilitres of insulin and six thousand boxes of blood glucose test strips each year to up to 86 countries.
The Type 2 Diabetes Peer Support Group meets at Bellarine Community Health’s Portarlington site in Fenwick Street every third Wednesday of the month at 2pm.
For further information contact either Eddie Gaskin on [email protected] or Lesley Gordon on [email protected].
Bellarine Community Health is proud to support this community initiative.
For more information about the BCH EMPOWER workshops call (03) 5258 0812 or email [email protected].