DSA News Spring 2023

– DSA Western Cape News –

BOOK YOUR SPOT TODAY!! Email margot@diabetessa.org.za

Mitchells Plain Women’s Day event


As August was Women’s Month, we celebrated ourselves as African woman. We had breakfast with coffee and tea, and some ladies did an African dance. We really had an awesome amazing morning with the group.

Parow Community event


Sr Onyinye from Diabetes Community Wellness Group in Milnerton gave a talk at acommunity event in Parow recently.

Diabetes Awareness Day held for pastors’ wives


A Diabetes Awareness Day was held for pastors’ wives recently. The event was organised by Sr Onyinye from Diabetes Community Wellness Group in Milnerton and assisted by Sr Veronica from the Diabetes Group in Strandfontein.

Diabetes Screening Day for pastors


A Diabetes Awareness and Screening Day for pastors was held recently. It was organised by Sr Onyinye from Diabetes Community Wellness Group. Margot McCumisky from Diabetes SA gave a talk for the pastors who attended.

– DSA Port Elizabeth News –

Malabar Diabetes Wellness meeting


Dr Gracjan Podgorski, a specialist physician, was the guest speaker at the Malabar Diabetes Wellness meeting in August. His topic was Fifty Years of Taming the Sugar Dragon: Reflections and Revolution in Diabetes Management.

Many people attended this meeting as Dr Podgorski will be retiring the end of this year. He will be missed by so many people with diabetes in our area.

Dr Podgorski was born in Warsaw, Poland and studied at the Department of Internal Medicine and Diabetology, Warsaw Medical School and qualified as a specialist physician in 1989. He came to South Africa in 1991.

We met Dr Podgorski for the first time in 1994 when he was the guest speaker at our Diabetes Wellness meeting that was held in Newton Park.

Over the years, Dr Podgorski has shared his vast knowledge of diabetes at least once a year at our various wellness meetings and helped us all to learn more about diabetes. He will be missed, but the knowledge he has shared with so many will not be forgotten.

The Port Elizabeth Branch of Diabetes SA wishes Dr Gracjan Podgorski a peaceful and well-deserved retirement.

This photo was taken while Dr Gracjan Podgorski was giving his last address to a Diabetes Wellness group in Port Elizabeth.

Springdale Diabetes Wellness Group


Our Springdale Diabetes Wellness Group has shown that diabetes is a Family Affair. At the August meeting Clive Burke, co-ordinator of Springdale Diabetes Wellness Group, spoke about the importance of family sharing the care of living with diabetes.

The Springdale group is like a large family caring for each other and the community. They recently collected over 60 cakes of facial soap and donated this to the nearby Gelvandale Frail Care Centre. When one of their member’s lost her husband, they took a bunch of flowers to her.

Keeping it in the family Clive’s niece, Afton Thysse, shared her diabetic journey at the June meeting.

The versatile Clive Burke addressing the August meeting. Afton Thysse with her uncle, Clive Burke, when she was the guest speaker.

Newton Park Diabetes Wellness meeting


At the August Newton Park Diabetes Wellness meeting, we were treated to a most interesting presentation on the Benefits of Body Stress Release, an almost unknown topic to most of us.

By the end of the meeting, we were all wiser after seeing and hearing the presentation by Dawn Spies, qualified Body Stress Release practitioner. She also donated a book all about Body Stress Release to our diabetes library as well as two generous gift vouchers for our attendance draw, each valued at R1 200, for a series of Body Stress Release treatments

Dawn Spies in action at the August meeting.

– DSA Pretoria News –

June Wellness Support Group meeting


On a beautiful clear, sunny Saturday, over 30 people attended the informative and empowering presentation on wound care by the renown wound care specialist, Liezl Naude.

It was a terrific afternoon that focused on creating awareness, connecting and sharing information. We all learnt on prevention, importance of movement, wound management and practical things to do and type of shoes recommended for people living with diabetes. A diverse group of attendees were active participants, enthusiastic, friendly and welcoming.

A special thanks to Liezl for an informative talk. For further enquiries, contact the Eloquent Health & Wellness Centre at 012-3480940.

A warm welcome to the new members who joined the support group through the aQuellé sponsorship. The new members were presented with their membership cards and complimentary gift pack. It was a pleasure to see young people, familiar, regular and new faces. A big thank you to the DSA Pretoria Wellness Support Group team for bringing this event together.

July Wellness Support Group meeting


A special note of appreciation to Dr Padayachee, an expert who enlightened and advised us to be aware of reactions to medications. The session also covered risks of combining prescribed and over-the-counter self-medication. The reactions should immediately be brought to the attention of health professionals.

If you’re living with diabetes or interested to know more, make an effort to attend the once a month wellness support group meeting, there is always something new to learn. Knowledge is power.

August Wellness Support Group meeting


Hattie Lubbe, an audiologist, gave an educational talk on the effect of diabetes on the ear structure. She explained that hearing loss is regarded as a progressive degenerative disorder.

We were enlightened and empowered as she unpacked the link between diabetes and hearing loss, the signs and symptoms. The importance of annual screening, servicing hearing aids as well as how treating hear loss can slowdown dementia were discussed.

The next DSA Pretoria Wellness Support Group meeting will be on 16 September 2023, please save the date.

A call for volunteers


Diabetes SA is primarily a volunteer organisation and relies heavily on people living with diabetes and their families who pool their talents, share their knowledge and experiences and give of their time to help each other.

You too could be a great organiser and get everyone off on a big walk or you may, equally valuable, be a friendly face that is willing to initiate a support group, or you may equally have a valuable skill.

❤️ DSA Pretoria branch is looking for volunteers to assist with the spreading of awareness of diabetes in communities. Start-up wellness support groups, guidance and booklets will be provided.

❤️ Someone with a little time on their hands to assist with admin. You will need a laptop and internet.

❤️ We would love to be assisted with social media awareness.

❤️ People who are keen to start support groups in their areas. Guidelines and start-up materials are available

❤️ We are looking for young and old vibrant people who have a passion for sharing information and creating awareness.

❤️ People who could be coached for two years to take up various roles in the near future.

The majority of us are volunteers and not paid workers. Most of us are retirees who do not have offices and work from home.

Anyone is welcome to join the group; one can become a friend of the group and indicate what services one is willing or capable of assisting with.

For further information and to see where you may be able to assist people living with diabetes, please kindly contact Liz by email at: pretoria@diabetessa.org.za