CLAVE 2002: BEST PRACTICES SHARING AMONG DIABETES ASSOCIATIONS IN SPAIN "FUNDACIÓN PARA LA DIABETES"

M. Gavidia, M. Marín, R. Arana;
Fundacion para la Diabetes, Madrid, Spain.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Background and Aims: Most of diabetes associations in Spain carry out a number of activities at the regional level, e.g. to increase the public awareness of diabetes, to celebrate the World Diabetes Day, to organize summer camps for children, to promote diabetes education, to fight against discrimination, to claim for a better care, etc.

However, many of these activities performed by a given association remain unknown for the others because of lack of communication, cost and time to organize meetings at the national level, travel expenditures, etc.

Clave 2002 was an initiative of “Fundación para la Diabetes”, a non-profit making organization in Spain devoted to diabetes, in order to:

  • Facilitate the presentation, share, and further dissemination of the best practices among diabetes associations in Spain.
  • Improve the communication and the coordination between such organizations.

Materials and Methods:

  • With the endorsement of “Federación de Diabéticos Españoles”, diabetes associations were invited to present activities of general interest in a national meeting: CLAVE 2002.
  • The works presented to the meeting should be compiled in a CD ROM for further dissemination to all the associations registered in Spain.
  • The Foundation actively looked for fund-rising to grant the project.

Results:

  • CLAVE 2002 took place in Madrid (October 19 th. 2002) with the participation of 48 delegates from all over Spain.
  • 18 associations presented 22 activities in total.
  • A CD ROM was produced and distributed to associations free of charge.
  • The Foundation succeeded in fund-rising having the collaboration of CEPSA (Oil Company), Hewlett – Packard (Computers), and Novo Nordisk (Insulin provider). Project total cost 11.780,13 €

Conclusion:

  • A number of diabetes associations (18) presented activities of general interest with demonstrated efficacy and utility.
  • More meetings at the national level are needed in order to share experiences.
  • Coordination and partnership among local associations is a real need.
  • There are fund rising opportunities beyond the pharmaceutical industry.