As part of BAPS UK’s health awareness campaign to highlight the dangers of diabetes, Dr Mayank Shah – Director of Lotus Healthcare and a General Practitioner – gave a useful presentation on the evening of 29 March 2008 at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Neasden. He talked about the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle through a balanced diet and regular exercise, and also suggested ways of coping with diabetes so that it does not affect daily life. Dr Shah also discussed the serious but often avoidable complications associated with diabetes and the link with other serious conditions such as ischaemic heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.

The following week, on Sunday 6 April 2008, BAPS arranged for Diabetes UK to hold a special diabetes screening clinic at the Mandir to coincide with the National Sponsored Family Walk & Fun Run 2008 in which Diabetes UK was a beneficiary charity. Almost 300 people from the local community were screened for diabetes and many patients were advised and counselled on how they could improve their lifestyle.