The bear people will have the chance to name and win. Photo/Supplied
Families will be able to enjoy a teddy bear's picnic with some special guests this month.
Diabetes New Zealand Rotorua Branch are holding a Teddy Bear's Picnic on November 14.
It will be held from 3.30pm through until the evening at Teletubby Hill.
November 14 is also World Diabetes Day.
The picnic will feature a visit from Emily Wilson, the International Diabetes Federation Young Leader for New Zealand, with Jerry the Bear.
Branch manager Karen Reed says Emily is huge inspiration to people with diabetes.
She says Jerry the Bear, who also has Type 1 diabetes, is an awesome and innovative tool for teaching young kids about Type 1 diabetes using modern technology.
Karen says they will have all sorts of fun games for children - and those adults who still enjoy having fun - such as traditional sack races, egg and spoon races, and three-legged races.
There will be a lot of spot prizes, a $2 Lucky Dip, and the chance to name and win a big teddy bear.
There will be a 'Best Dressed Bear' competition and they will also draw their 'Something for Everyone raffle' later in the evening, Karen says.
She says it is free to attend and open to the whole community.
All money raised will go towards the Rotorua Community Diabetes Centre project.
Karen says about 5000 people are living with diabetes in the Rotorua community, with 90 per cent of them having Type 2 diabetes, which can often be delayed or prevented with better lifestyle choices.
She says on top of this, one in four adults are likely to have pre-diabetes, which is a condition that represents the early stages of Type 2, but again can be helped with better food choices, weight loss and increasing physical activity.
"So, we need to raise the awareness of diabetes and it's complications in order that people can start thinking more about making healthier lifestyle choices, otherwise the toll of diabetes and its complications is going to hit us hard."
She says complications include loss of vision, kidney disease, poor blood supply and nerve damage leading to amputations and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
"We have quite a high population of Maori in Rotorua - Maori, Pacific and Indian people have a much greater risk of diabetes than those of European descent."
Karen says diabetes is already placing a burden on the country's health system - "we don't have enough nurses or community dieitians that are specifically trained in diabetes, and we need more specialist doctors up at the hospital too".
"With increasing numbers of people being diagnosed, the level of care available is going to go down before it goes up, unless some action is taken - another reason to promote diabetes and its effects in our community.
"We want to be able to support the increasing number of people with diabetes in our community by providing easy access to information care and support by setting up a community diabetes centre, which would act as a hub for diabetes care.
"We would facilitate education sessions, dietition workshops, and the centre would be a safe non-clinical environment where people can come for information and support."
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