Stepping up for diabetes awareness

Across our community events, we continue to hear how important it is to raise awareness about health research, particularly within underserved communities. Many people tell us they want trusted information, clearer explanations, and more opportunities to ask questions in familiar and accessible spaces.

This is why raising awareness, both in the hospital and in the community, is so important. It helps people better understand health conditions, the role of research, and how taking part in research can help improve care for future generations.

This summer, Valentina Ekeleme, Clinical Research Coordinator in the Generation Study Team at St George’s University Hospitals, is once again taking part in Diabetes UK’s One Million Step Challenge. From 1 July to 30 September, she will be walking to raise funds and awareness for people living with diabetes.

Last year, Valentina completed an incredible 1,222,756 steps and raised £350 for Diabetes UK. This year, she is stepping up again to support Diabetes UK’s mission to fund vital research, develop life-changing treatments, and provide support for people living with diabetes.

Diabetes remains one of the UK’s most pressing health challenges. Diabetes UK estimates that almost 6 million people in the UK are now living with diabetes, including over 4.7 million people with a diagnosis and almost 1.3 million people who may be living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Diabetes UK also highlights that people from Black African, African Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes from a younger age, with risk increasing from age 25 compared with age 40 in the white population.

There are also important inequalities linked to diabetes and pregnancy. NHS England estimates that around 30,000 women in England develop gestational diabetes each year, and up to 50% of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within five years. NHS Digital’s National Pregnancy in Diabetes Audit also reported that among pregnant women with early-onset type 2 diabetes, 52.6% were from ethnic minority groups, compared with 9.9% among women with type 1 diabetes.

These figures show why culturally relevant awareness, inclusive research, and community engagement are so important. For many underserved communities, diabetes awareness is not just about knowing the symptoms; it is about understanding risk, prevention, pregnancy-related diabetes, early diagnosis, and how research can help improve outcomes for future generations.

Valentina’s challenge is a powerful reminder that raising awareness can happen one step, one conversation, and one community connection at a time. Her commitment reflects the wider values of research at St George’s: improving health, reducing inequalities, and helping more people understand how research can make a difference.

We are proud to support Valentina as she takes on the challenge again and helps shine a light on diabetes and the importance of research.

To support Valentina, please visit her Diabetes UK fundraising page:https://step.diabetes.org.uk/fundraising/valentinas-fundraising-page1592