On June 11, the volunteer-led Slovakian association of young adults living with diabetes, Diador, held the 23rd edition of the “Dia Exhibition” in Bratislava, an event that is organised yearly by the association. The annual event consists in the exhibition of new food products and devices for the management of diabetes and is attended by people living with diabetes (PwD) from all across Slovakia. The exhibition represents not only an opportunity for PwD to learn about, and try out, new products, but is also a day during which they can meet other people living with type 1 and/or type 2 diabetes.
The “Dia Exhibition” is part of a long-standing tradition of activities organised by volunteers at Diador to expand and strengthen the community of young people living with diabetes, to facilitate education for PwD and the general public, and to increase awareness of diabetes.
For more than 20 years, Diador has organised 4 to 5 annual educational lectures on various topics such as diabetes management and prevention, diabetes-related complications, innovations in the field, and diabetes and sports.
The association also organises summer and winter camps for children and young adults living with diabetes. During the camps, PwD participate in various activities outdoors, practice physical activities, attend educational lectures on diabetes, and most importantly, they get the chance to connect and share their personal experiences with their peers.
In addition to these, Diador has recently started to implement new activities. One of these was a cultural event “Cooltúra”, organised for the first time this year, and during which a group of PwD went on a hike to visit a castle and to learn about the history, culture and the natural environment of the site. Another recent event was a three-day retreat in a health resort to allow participants to connect with each other, and to relax both physically and mentally to achieve better management of their blood glucose levels.
To learn more about Diador’s activities, visit its website here.