Diabetes Foundation presents their report on the Step-by-Step Foot Care Program to the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise.

The findings of the report indicate that the current state of patients' diabetic feet in St. Maarten requires the urgent attention of our Public Health Authorities!
The Step-by-Step Foot Care program was implemented from August of 2011 to March 2012, and based on the evaluation of the feet of 400 diabetic patients the results was compiled.
A volunteer nurse and medical pedicurist of the Diabetes Foundation of St. Maarten visited all the local medical clinics, of the doctors who wanted to participate, on a monthly basis and evaluated the feet of diabetic patients, at no cost to either the clinic or the patient.

This very costly, valuable and internationally acclaimed program, that involved the collaboration of the International Diabetes Federation, the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot, the Ledbury Rotary Club-the Rotary Club of Gloucester Severn (both of the United Kingdom), the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise and the Diabetes Foundation of St. Maarten, was very necessary for St. Maarten, as the island has a huge number of diabetic patients.

It took a lot of perseverance and the international financial support of all these parties to bring the program to St. Maarten. The first phase started in late August / early September of 2009 and consisted of a three-day course, presented by medical specialists and professors from various parts of Europe, to a number of medical professionals from St. Maarten and surrounding islands, including Mrs. Mieke Schakel. The material presented had to be applied for a period of one year by the participants, and it was mandatory to participate in the second phase of the program and complete this one year later.

The Diabetes Foundation of St. Maarten sincerely hopes that their efforts and those of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise will ultimately lead to improved foot care for the diabetic patients on our island.