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'Walk for Life 2009' to create diabetes awareness among Sri Lankan public
Sun, Nov 15, 2009, 10:05 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Nov 15, Colombo: Commemorating the World Diabetes Day today, 'Walk for Life 2009' a walk organized by the Diabetes Research Unit, Department of Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine in University of Colombo and the Tharunyata Hetak youth organization took place this morning.
The walk commenced at the Colombo Municipal Council Grounds in front of the Vihara Maha Devi Park and ended at the Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha.
General public, school children, medical students, officials from the Health Ministry, athletes and celebrities came together to create awareness on diabetes.
One in ten adults over 20 years and one in five in the urban areas in Sri Lanka are affected by diabetes. The walk aims to create awareness of the controllable disease and to establish a diabetes research fund in Sri Lanka, the organizers said.
Cricket legends Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vaas, Akalanka Gamage, 'Tharunayata Hetak' Chairman Namal Rajapaksa and Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva were among the participants.
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(Pictures by Udesh Gunarathne) |