Type 1 diabetes results from abnormal activity of the body's immune system and it is on the rise in European children and adolescents. A European research project aims to find out why the cleanliness long assumed to be the best defence against this disease could actually be the cause of it.

More information about the project here.

The 12 May marks International Nurses Day (IND) and the birthday of Florence Nightingale. This significant day will be celebrated by nurses throughout the world marking the contributions nurses make to society.

In UK, each year a service is held in Westminster Abbey in London. During the Service, a symbolic lamp is taken from the Nurses' Chapel in the Abbey and handed from one nurse to another, thence to the Dean, who places it on the High Altar. This signifies the passing of knowledge from one nurse to another.

132 Young Leaders in Diabetes from all over the world, aged 18-30 and connected by diabetes want to make a change!

Watch this video to learn more about them, their vision, and what they would like to achieve.

(L to R) Sir Michael Hirst, Senator Guy Barnett, Her Excellency Mrs Zuma, Judi Moylan and Adrian Sanders MP

On 4th December 2013 at the IDF World Diabetes Conference the Melbourne Declaration on Diabetes 2013 was officially launched (see above).

The introduction as shown above reads:

It is with immense sadness that we share the news of the untimely death of our dear colleague Mrs Mary McKinnon RN MSc. Mary's contribution to primary care diabetes is well established in the annals of diabetes care in the UK. She was a pioneer in establishing the role of the primary care practice nursing in diabetes. As far back as the early 1980s she was a key contributor and faculty member of the Warwick diabetes centre.

GOOD NEWS FROM BRUSSELS ON WORLD DIABETES DAY!

At a meeting of the European Diabetes Working Group (EDWG) and the European Coalition on Diabetes (ECD), Tonio Borg European Commissioner for Health delivered a most significant speech on diabetes, marking World Diabetes Day.

On 9 October the European Parliament passed the trilogue agreement on the Professional Qualifications Directive, including the amendments on the Common Training Framework that enable the tool to be used for cross-border recognition of Chapter III specialties (e.g. pharmacy, nursing, veterinary medicine).

The vote was passed with 592 votes in favour, 29 against and 30 abstentions.

Congratulations to Florence Bassin, a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Diabetes at the University Outpatient Clinic in Lausanne, Switzerland. Florence won the annual FEND award for her study titled "Psychosocial adjustement of the elderly with type 2 diabetes: A descriptive and correlational study."

FEND would like to invite European national diabetes nursing organisations to take part in the "pop up" village of the 18th FEND Annual Conference in Barcelona, Spain.

This is the first time we have embarked on an informal pop up village. We think it will provide a significant platform for communication and networking for the European diabetes nursing community. There is no charge for participating in this.

Download application form

It is with sadness that we share the news of the death of Professor Harry Keen CBE MD FRCP, (5 April 2013).
He was a loyal and sustained supporter of FEND and a major influencer in establishing and recognising the role of the diabetes specialist nurse...
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