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Year 11 students Nouf Al-Muraikhi and Lulwa Fakhro have been selected to take part in the in the Diabetes Ambassadors program, taking their own inspiring stories to the community.
QDA program launched to raise awareness and in support of World Diabetes Day
As part of World Diabetes Day, which falls on November 14, Qatar Diabetes Association has established a new initiative that will see 20 young men and women living with type 1 diabetes act as ambassadors to raise awareness of the condition within the community – while representing the voice of the youth.
Titled “The Diabetes Ambassadors” initiative, the participants will take part in training sessions that focus on education, nutrition, and mental health. They will represent Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA) – a member of Qatar Foundation – locally and internationally, taking part in camps and events, helping to teach others about diabetes.
Al-Muraikhi has created her personal page on the Internet to introduce people to diabetes and answer questions.
Year 11 students Nouf Al-Muraikhi and Lulwa Fakhro have been selected to take part in the inaugural program, taking their own inspiring stories to the community.
Al-Muraikhi spoke about how she found out that she had diabetes at the age of eight. She was on holiday with her family in the US when she began to feel very tired, and after several tests she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
Because no member of my family had been diagnosed with diabetes before, my diagnosis came as a shock to my mother, who did not know much about it
“Because no member of my family had been diagnosed with diabetes before, my diagnosis came as a shock to my mother, who did not know much about it.
“I initially tried to educate myself to relieve my mother's anxiety, and with time – and as I gained more knowledge about the condition – I was able to help my mother overcome her depression and her fears, by showing her my ability to live with it,” Al-Muraikhi said.
Al-Muraikhi added that diabetes has played a part in determining her future – and that she hopes to complete her university studies in a field that will help others with the condition, such as becoming an endocrinologist or a nutritionist.
My meals became more organized and healthier. And I started to exercise regularly, which helped me control my blood sugar levels
Lulwa Fakhro was also diagnosed with diabetes at an early age, when she was still ten years old. Explaining how it has helped shape her personality and provided direction for her life, she said: “My meals became more organized and healthier. And I started to exercise regularly, which helped me control my blood sugar levels.”
Al-Muraikhi and Fakhro have created two personal pages on the Internet to introduce people to diabetes and answer questions.
Fakhro hopes to complete her university studies in a field that will help others with diabetes
“On this page, I provide details on diabetes, including nutrition, sports, and insulin doses – basically up to date information for people living with diabetes,” Fakhro said.
On World Diabetes Day, Al-Muraikhi and Fakhro will host an educational event at their school, where they hope to help students learn learn more about the condition, such as how to prevent developing type 2 diabetes and the effects of hypoglycemia.
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