Australian landmarks will light up today in support of World Diabetes Day (WDD) but Sydney is in the dark.
The Australian Diabetes Council, which organises landmarks to be illuminated blue, the colour of the international symbol for diabetes, was unable to secure any sites for its cause in Sydney.
Over the next 48 hours the WDD monument challenge will see up to 1000 buildings in more than 80 countries lit in blue to draw attention to the escalating threat of diabetes worldwide.
“We weren’t able to find a landmark to light up in time,” Australian Diabetes Council spokesperson Nick Buchan told The Newsroom.
Significant buildings that will be bathed in blue include Queensland’s Parliament House in Brisbane, the ACT’s Telstra Tower (pictured) and Holy Trinity church in Launceston, Tasmania.
Mr Buchan said despite Sydney’s failure to light up, the public exposure for diabetes has been positive.
“We have received great publicity, TV interviews and Sydney print media have paid diabetes attention,” he said.
“Sydney residents have also shown great responses for the day on Facebook and Twitter.”
Diabetes is a chronic disease with serious health complications, affecting an estimated 1.8 million Australians. Hundreds of thousands of Australians have silent, undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Over 2 million Australians have pre-diabetes and are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Research has shown that by eating healthy foods and exercising regularly, type 2 diabetes may be delayed or even prevented in up to 60 per cent of cases. – Sarah Belle Goodson
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