ICLDC launches #WALK2014 social campaign

ABU DHABI-  Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC) has announced the launch of a major new social media campaign in an effort to get people to ‘Take a Step for Diabetes’ and boost registrations for WALK 2014.

Held under the royal patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, WALK 2014 will take place at its traditional venue of Yas Marina Circuit on Friday 7 November, with more than 20,000 people expected to turn up in support of the centre’s ongoing quest to change people’s lifestyles for the better.

Now in its eighth year, Imperial College London Diabetes Centre’s WALK 2014 is sponsored by National Health Insurance Company – Daman and supported by Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD),Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and Healthpoint.

Registration for WALK 2014 opens on Thursday 11 September, and people of all fitness levels are welcome to participate in this fun stroll around Yas Marina Circuit’s 5.5-kilometre Formula 1 ® Grand Prix track. Once people have registered online, ICLDC encourages them to take a selfie of their shoes as they ‘Take a Step for Diabetes’. The photo is then tagged with ‘#WALK2014’ across all social media platforms, while also nominating their friends to do the same.

Imperial College London Diabetes Centre is a leading advocate of a healthier lifestyle and has launched the #WALK2014 social media campaign to urge people to consider their lifestyle habits, and educate people that just 30 minutes’ brisk walking a day can make a real difference in improving health.

Bashar Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer, Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, says: “Taking the health and fitness message directly to the public through the #WALK2014 social media campaign is a very effective way of increasing awareness and pushing people to get involved. It is well known that the UAE has a high prevalence of diabetes and obesity, and that’s partially down to people not taking enough exercise or eating a balanced, healthy diet. Our hope is that WALK 2014 and the ‘Take a Step for Diabetes’ campaign will help bring about change.”

This year’s edition will also see the inclusion of a regional first – a comprehensive health audit undertaken at the event. Teams on the ground will be measuring WALK participants’ body mass index compared to Abu Dhabi residents, and will also determine whether WALK increases activity levels in the short and long terms. The audit will provide a clearer picture of fitness levels in the UAE and its results will be published shortly afterwards.

As key sponsors of WALK 2014, Daman’s CEO, Dr Michael Bitzer, says: “We’re very happy to be supporting this unique event for an eighth successive year. We believe that WALK 2014, alongside our other health & fitness sponsorships such as TrainYAS, GoYAS and TriYAS, provide a complete programme for the community to get active. Our support to these initiatives comes from our core belief that regular exercise is a crucial part of combating health disorders associated with obesity and leading a sedentary lifestyle.”

“WALK 2014 is an extremely important event in the health and fitness calendar at Yas Marina Circuit,” says Al Tareq Al Ameri, CEO of Yas Marina Circuit. “We are delighted to be hosting the eighth edition and working again with Imperial College London Diabetes Centre and our key sponsor partners.”

“Yas Marina Circuit continues to be a centre of excellence for community health and fitness opportunities in the UAE and we would encourage anyone thinking of making a positive change to register online. Come and ‘Take a Step for Diabetes’ at Yas Marina Circuit,” he adds.

For more details, and to register for WALK 2014, visit http://www.walk2014.com