As anyone working in diabetes care will know, diabetic complications can have devastating effects on individuals. They also place a significant strain on limited NHS resources. And the problem is set to get much, much worse.
Recent studies have shown that there is a 9 to 12 year gap between onset and diagnosis.
When diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, up to 50 per cent of people already suffer from one of its complications.
For example, more than half of those with Type 2 diabetes will already have signs of cardiovascular disease at the point of diagnosis.
In fact, diabetes is second only to smoking as the leading cause of cardiovascular disease in the UK. The complication leads to the most premature deaths in people with diabetes.
Early diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes to reduce the likelihood of complications is therefore vital. We must act now to ensure that people with diabetes are identified earlier so they can be given the care and information they need to reduce the risk of developing complications.
With your help we aim to increase awareness of diabetes among the undiagnosed by 25 per cent and help diagnose the three quarters of a million people with Type 2 in the UK who are unaware they have the condition.