    
Hi! My name is Karen Rae Spiegel (24). I'm from the United States. Although I do not have diabetes, my career goal is to spread awareness of diabetes globally and to help eradicate this disease. I am currently pursuing a Master of Public Health Degree at Yale University. My concentration is Global Health, and my main interest is the effect of globalisation on chronic diseases, especially diabetes.
Today was an exciting and energetic day at the Changing Diabetes Village, with Table Mountain as a perfect backdrop.
The day began with a press conference with Lars Rieben Sørensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk, who spoke about the ideas behind the Changing Diabetes Bus, the global diabetes pandemic, and how involving youth is a key way of increasing awareness and support for the ‘Unite for Diabetes’ campaign.
Erik Dunham, a Youth Panellist, next spoke about his own diabetes, and how access to good healthcare in the United States has motivated him to fight for the same in developing countries. Both international and local press was present.
The press conference concluded with a walk around the ‘Village’, including the blood sugar screening table, exercise tents, and children’s drawing area where a drawing contest will be held later in the week.
Visitors to the bus today – 1.025 of them! – included professionals in town for the IDF conference, local Capetonians passing by, South Africans who traveled from Johannesburg and Durban and rural areas throughout South Africa. Free blood screenings to check for diabetes were by far the most popular part of the village, with a line stretching across an entire tent all day.
For me, this highlighted a fundamental need for more diabetes resources in countries like South Africa, but also highlighted the key role that companies like Novo Nordisk can play.
All in all, the atmosphere at the Changing Diabetes Village is one of hope, a feeling that should stay with us as we continue to work to put diabetes higher on the global health agenda.
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