Stepping out to support those with diabetes

LIONS Clubs across Australia have hit the pavement for their annual Lap the Map event, raising funds for the Medical Alert Dog program.

The program provides trained dogs to Australians with type 1 diabetes at no cost thanks to funding from the Lions.

Among the participants was the Torquay Lions, who made their way from the Angling Club to the Sundial on Thursday, October 31.

Lions service chair Catherine Rowe said the event was all about people pulling together.

“It involves everybody, clubs all around Australia do it.

“The main thing is, it connects people and you have a sense of everybody doing the same thing and for people who have diabetes, you’re not alone and you’re not the only ones going through it.”

 

The goal of the event is for Australians to lap the map of the country ten times, totally more than 257,000km.

Each year, the event runs in the leadup to World Diabetes Day on Thursday, November 14.

An alert dog costs about $40,000 to train and is able to notify their owners when their blood glucose levels are outside the target range, retrieve a Hypokit and seek assistance.

This year’s Torquay event ran as part of the Surf Coast Shire’s Positive Ageing initiative.

Plans are already in the works for Lap the Map to return in 2025.

For more information on Lap the Map and the Medical Alert Dog Program, head to lionshearingdogs.com.au