[1]Diabetes may be a scary condition, fraught with innumerable complications — but it is not a death knell. With proper care and a disciplined lifestyle, a diabetic person can live a long and healthy life, said the group of ‘diabetes survivors’ honoured with the ‘Healthy at 80’ title by M.V. centre for diabetes on Saturday.
Dr V. Shantha, chairperson of the cancer institute, honoured 15 senior citizens, including a 99-year-old diabetic man, with mementos to encourage their zeal for life.
The patients were also given privilege cards so they can avail a concession of 50 per cent on all outpatient tests and treatments at the hospital.
“The review of our records of patients aged 80 years and above revealed that 40 per cent of them have been living with diabetes for more than 20 years.
In addition, 55 per cent of them are still on oral medication without insulin, and 28 per cent are living without any diabetic complications,” said Dr Vijay Vishwanathan, director of the MV centre for diabetes which recently launched branches in Perungudi and Mylapore.
Two per cent of these patients have undergone amputations and only 8 per cent have undergone coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, he added.
According to Mr Ramaswamy, the almost-centurion with diabetes, a healthy diet with plenty of vegetables, an active lifestyle and a will to remain mentally calm even in stressful times, can beat the disease.
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