Everyone’s favourite Bulldog, Woofer was out and about last weekend for the Djerriwarrh Festival in Melton, helping the Australian Community Centre for Diabetes (ACCD) to promote awareness of the disease in Melbourne’s Western Suburbs.
Hosted by Victoria University, the ACCD aim to develop new approaches to diabetes prevention and management and reduce diabetes-related disease in communities where the rate of diabetes is high or increasing.

Research released at the beginning of the year highlighted that one in seven people in Western Melbourne aged 55 and over has diabetes. Well above the national average.
Woofer encouraged the community of Melton on Saturday to take advantage of the ACCD’s testing and information stall, even jumping on the fitness bike himself to ensure he has a healthy heart rate. The ACCD team focused on providing valuable information on diabetes detection as well as advocating a healthy lifestyle to ensure its prevention.

The Western Bulldogs were very proud to work with the ACCD and assist them in promoting the essential work they do in our community.

In February, the ACCD in conjunction with Diabetes Australia launched the new website http://www.diabetesepidemic.com.au/westernmelbourne/project/ at Whitten Oval. The launch saw Premier John Brumby in attendance with Bulldogs Chief Executive Campbell Rose and Western Bulldogs Number One Ticket Holder, Peter Gordon, all discussing the importance of remaining vigilant in the face of this growing epidemic.

The website details the prevalence and incidence of diabetes in Western Melbourne and links to further information on diabetes prevention and management.

For more information on The ACCD and diabetes please visit:
www.vu.edu.au/accd
www.diabetesvic.org.au