International
About Kids Chain
Diabetes is just like the 42,195 K (or 26.2 miles) of a marathon. It requires an enormous endurance and teamwork. Kids Chain links teams of 42 kids with diabetes, aged 5-18 years to 42 organisations that feel connected to health care, prevention, sports, healthy eating, diabetes and sports. Everyone can get diabetes, and... you can do something about it yourself!
Year of Childhood Diabetes
Kids Chain for Diabetes wants to draw attention by special events that combine sports, health, and social live reaching out to people at home and politics. Kids Chain for Diabetes will be around the whole year and Novembre 4th kick off with a chain of 42 international diabetic kids running the Athens Classic Marathon finishing the last 195 meters together. A symbol will be handed over and will be taken to participating countries. The idea put forward by Dr Annabelle S. Slingerland was greatly received by Professor Constantopoulos president of the International Pediatric Association (IPA), Professor Thomas Danne (Germany) and Professor Stuart Brink (VS), president of the International Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) and set off at the 25th International Congress of Pediatrics in Athens 27 August 2007.
The kids raise awareness for the rising epidemic and show that they are special but can still do anything! Sports makes a difference: it bonds, reduces your insulin resistance and get your happy (‘endorphine’) hormones up!
Kids Chain for Diabetes is an initiative of the Care Cure Science Foundation that aims to promote research and education, put evidence into practise and translate knowledge back to the lay public caring even if no cure is yet available. The Care Cure Science Foundation collaborates with internationally renowed centres, doctors, public health and health services researchers, geneticists and behavioural scientists, teachers, patients, sports people, the lay public, politicians and media. A subdivision is the Dutch Collaborative Group on Neonatal Diabetes erected as part of Annabelle Slingerland’s work with Professor G. Jan (Mu) Bruining under the International Collaborative Group on Neonatal Diabetes with Professor Andrew T. Hattersley of the Institute of Biochemical and Clinical Sciences, Peninsula Medical School, UK.
Kids Chain for Diabetes and the Care Cure Science Foundation are mutually supported by the International Society of Pediatric Diabetes (ISPAD), International Pediatric Association (IPA), Greek Pediatric Society, Hellenic Athletics Federation SEGAS Executive Board, International Diabetes Federation (IDF), European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE), Diabetes Fund Netherlands(DFN), Diabeter National Expertise Centre for Diabetes the Netherlands.
What about diabetes?
Diabetes is a global epidemic with devastating human, social and economic consequences. Currently Diabetes affects 250 million people worldwide expected to increase to 380 in 2025 and is increasingly being diagnosed in children. Every 10 seconds, 2 people are diagnosed with diabetes and every 10 seconds a person dies from diabetes-related disease. Diabetes can be due to genes (MODY and ND), auto-immunity (diabetes type 1) or insulin resistance/ obesity (type 2 diabetes). It highly affects families both financially with 25-60% of the medical budget going to the diabetic patient and socially drawing a lot of attention and sorrows.
Monogenic Diabetes
Monogenic Diabetes is diabetes caused by one or more mutations in one single gene which might hence be rare but have great impact leading to diabetes at a very young age. It has resulted in great challenges for researchers, doctors and patients. Recently the major cause of neonatal diabetes turned out to be mutations in the KCNJ11 and ABCC8 genes encoding the potassium channel of the pancreatic beta cell. These had great implications since sulphonylurea tablets could replace insulin injections in these patients that would otherwise be lifelong dependent on needles and less well regulated. Also since the potassium channels can also be found in muscle and brain 25% of patients suffered from neuropsychological features which could be ameliorated by the tablets as well. A 4 year old boy who had been unable to stand supported was now able to walk unattended. The research into this has been greatly supported by the Collaborative Groups on Neonatal Diabetes and ISPAD.
Sports
Independent from the cause of diabetes, sports has proven to make a big difference concerning health, joy and social life. Unfortunately sports has been underplayed by nowayday's lifestyle that is centred around desks and couches and is mainly individual. Running is one of the basics, is easy, least expensive and can be done by anyone. Try it, you will discover it will work for you too!
Why a marathon?
A Marathon is a challenge, breath taking requiring a long breath, not giving in nor up, perseverance, tolerating frustration and seeking distraction not focussing on the negatives. Diabetes as a chronic disease has many parallels and is a challenge. The age limit for marathon participants is 18+. The Kids Chain for Diabetes participants will all be below 18 and show that with joint effort or as the Greek say:
Η ΙΣΧΥΣ ΕΝ ΤΗ ΕΝΩΣΕΙ
Η ισχ?ς εν τη εν?σει
I ishis en ti enosi
Power is doing it together
They still have a voice and will make it together.
Why the Athens Classic Marathon?
Greece is where it all started: 490 bc the Greek soldier Phidippides ran 42, 195 meters from Marathonas to Athens to announce the glorious victory of the Greeks over the Persians. The modern Olympic Games started in 1896 using the same course. The Athens Classic Marathon will not only follow in these event’s footsteps but also finish at the Panathinaikon Stadium, the Ancient Marble Stadium of Athens.
