DOHA: Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA) yesterday launched ‘My Diabetes Story Community’, an online patient community led by diabetics for diabetics.
The community, which is led by QDA and supported by Sanofi, is one of the outcomes of My Diabetes Story program that aims to provide meaningful support and advice through patient-to-patient communication. The community is also endorsed by leading diabetes associations across the Middle East.
The My Diabetes Story Community is a closed network for patients only and aims to provide patient-to-patient support and advice. It is a secure forum that provides the 16 percent of the population in Qatar who live with diabetes a platform to reach out to others in similar circumstances.
They will be able to discuss the issues that matter the most to them and share tips and recommendations on how to live successfully with their condition.
Across the region, various diabetes societies and patient groups have joined together to manage the community. Dr Abdullah Al Hamaq, Executive Director of Qatar Diabetes Association, said:
“Diabetes is not just an illness, it becomes a lifestyle, and most patients feel restricted by it. Many of my patients feel alone in their situation, until they realize that they are not. While diabetes can affect each patient differently, we believe that by bringing them together they will have the opportunity to draw strength from each other and find comfort, knowing there are others who face the same challenges and have overcome them.”
The gatekeepers of the community are six My Diabetes Story Ambassadors who represent different countries across the region. Mohamed Khalid Al Saadi, the Qatari My Diabetes Story Ambassador, has lived with diabetes since he was five and believes that through his experiences he can inspire and help others come to terms with their condition and lead fulfilling lives with diabetes.
“The My Diabetes Story Community is more than a network for diabetics to meet. It is a safe haven, where they don’t have to feel uncomfortable talking about their challenges or even share the small victories they achieve in their daily lives. Aside from that as an Ambassador, I can now reach out to more people and provide them with support and lessons I have learnt through my life, basically be their shoulder to lean on.”
The community, which members can join by invitation only, acts as an open forum. Once members join, they can engage in conversation related to hot topics, pose questions, post news articles, images or videos and even build friend groups.
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