A Saudi researcher from King Abdul Aziz City for the National Guard in Riyadh has been awarded SR150,000 for having the best website for raising awareness about diabetes. Solaiman Bader Al-Motair, the winner, said that he developed the website, Diabetes Network and Forum, to provide highly reliable and specialized information about diabetes for Arabic audiences. “There is a huge gap in the understanding of diabetes especially among Arabs, so I developed this website to hopefully provide useful information that people can easily access to increase their awareness and understanding of the disease,” Al-Motair said. Apart from information, the website, HYPERLINK “http://www.dmeducation.com/” \o “http://www.dmeducation.com/” www.dmeducation.com, provides, amazing statistics and facts, such as, the fact that according to the International Journal of Clinical Practice, 63 percent of people suffering from diabetes wear the wrong kind of shoes. Such information would certainly make diabetics think more carefully before choosing a new pair of shoes. Al-Motair's website can help increase awareness among Saudis about diabetes, including its causes, methods of treatment and prevention, as most diabetes websites are unspecialized and are not in Arabic. On a daily basis, Diabetes Network and Forum gets about 25,000 visits and since being launched, the total number of visitors has reached 3.5 million. The website's forum has more than 20,000 members from all the Arab countries and the number is increasing daily. The website also aims to promote an environment in which diabetics can discuss their daily concerns and exchange their experiences. In addition, the site places a strong emphasis on having a healthy lifestyle to help prevent the incidence of diabetes, including engaging in regular physical exercise and eating healthy food in a balanced diet. The site is a reliable source of news and all related diabetes matters.” Al-Motair expressed his thanks and appreciation to Sanofi-Aventis, the company sponsoring the award, for their support to the site. “It is certainly an inspiration for all of us, and a wonderful reward for the hard work that I and my team have put into the website,” he added. From the onset, Al-Motair has envisioned a website that will make a difference in the lives of diabetic patients and their families, as well as the general public who can benefit by learning how to prevent the disease. “The main idea that I would like to convey is that diabetes is a disease that patients can live with, and those who do not have it can protect themselves from it. Being a diabetic does not mean that you must suffer from the complications of the disease. On the contrary, diabetics can live a normal life by following simple procedures,” Al-Motair said. Dr. Issa Dhafiri, a member of the awards jury, said: “The award is dedicated to encourage researchers in the area of diabetes to find new ways for comprehensive treatment of this disease that will benefit physicians, nurses, patients and health educators.”
