Altrisk Donates to Diabetes SA’s Education Programmes
Altrisk CEO, Craig Harding hands the cheque to Diabetes SA Executive manager, Leigh-Ann Bailie.
Altrisk has donated R86 700 to Diabetes South Africa, a non-profit organisation founded in 1969 with the aim of providing support and advocacy for people living with diabetes in South Africa. Diabetes SA is a member of the International Diabetes Federatio
Each year Altrisk supports a non-profit organisation that works towards making a health-related improvement in the lives of South Africans by driving positive behavioural change. Part of the insurer’s fundraising drive is to encourage financial advisors to be part of the initiative. Altrisk therefore pledges a sum to a worthy cause for every application received from financial advisors during the campaign period. Previous organisations supported include CARe, Cansa and the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
The insurer’s support of Diabetes South Africa is a fitting match, reaffirming Altrisk’s view that given the right support, education and care, diabetes is a manageable condition. . Established in 1999, Altrisk is a specialist long-term risk product provider offering life insurance and personal risk products to individuals, including those that traditionally could not get cover elsewhere, including diabetics. Its inherent entrepreneurial spirit, clear focus, and specialisation in risk have helped Altrisk to grow to over 90,000 policyholders today.
Diabetes SA informs, encourages and educates diabetics and their families about how to better manage their condition and live a healthy life. Diabetes SA also lobbies government on behalf of all diabetics for better facilities and services.
Leigh-Ann Bailie, executive manager of Diabetes SA says: “With an estimated three to six million people in South Africa living with diabetes - many of them unaware that they have the condition - there is a dire need for education and awareness about the prevention, symptoms and treatment of diabetes. Fundraising events, membership fees, and pharmaceutical support assist us in the day-to-day running of the organisation, development of educational material and campaign support. The substantial donation from Altrisk is hugely appreciated and will go towards funding the Diabetes Nurse Educator, mall days and wellness programmes targeted at disadvantaged individuals without access to information. This is imperative, as diabetics need to be educated in order to better understand, control and manage their condition to ensure not only a longer life, but greater quality of living. It also helps families to better understand their support role.”
In the next 15 to 20 years, the World Health Organisation expects diabetes to affect close to 400 million people worldwide. In South Africa, diabetes is an escalating condition that needs to be controlled. The number of South Africans living with diabetes grows daily, yet many sufferers are still uninformed when it comes to the prevention and symptoms of the condition. “Diabetes SA is an excellent source of diabetes information. We provide books, pamphlets, posters and our own award winning magazine to diabetics and their families. We organise informal discussion groups, one-on-one counselling, as well as family and youth camps,” adds Leigh-Ann.
Altrisk’s support of Diabetes SA underpins the life insurer’s market-leading approach to providing cover for people living with diabetes. “It has been shown worldwide that patient education and motivation reduces the cost of diabetes care, while dramatically reducing the risk of serious diabetes-related complications. Diabetes SA’s reach into the community has made a real difference to the awareness of diabetes and the impact of diet and lifestyle in managing this condition,” explains Craig Harding, managing director of Altrisk.
“When Altrisk entered the risk industry in 1999, we brought a new underwriting perspective to a fairly conservative business and were the first risk provider to offer affordable cover for people living with chronic diseases – Altrisk was in fact the first insurer to offer cover for people living with HIV Aids. As a result of our niche focus on the traditionally ‘uninsurable’ market, we have amassed invaluable knowledge, experience and understanding of the complexities and effects of chronic illnesses, and the role of proactive disease management.
“The fact is that diabetes is a manageable disease. Our support of Diabetes SA emanates from our belief that, when living with a serious disease or condition, proper care and disease management is pivotal in ensuring a fulfilling, better quality of life,” concludes Craig.
