Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
Banff and Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has backed a Parliamentary motion noting the worrying rising number of people with diabetes in Scotland as evidenced in the recent report from Diabetes UK Scotland, Diabetes in Scotland and the UK 2004.
Speaking on the issue, Mr Stevenson said:
“The recent report informs that that there are 148,000 people in Scotland diagnosed with diabetes, which is a rise of 28,000 since 1996. It is also worrying to learn that at least 65,000 people in Scotland are undiagnosed, as highlighted in the report, and that this number is growing year-on-year. In addition, it is concerning to discover that many are unaware of the risk of death from insulin deficiency.
“Recognition must be given that diabetes is associated with chronic ill-health, disability and premature mortality and that long-term complications, including heart disease, strokes, blindness, kidney disease and amputations, make the greatest contribution to the costs of diabetes care. And many of these long-term effects could be avoided with earlier detection and more effective treatment.
“More needs to be done to get the message across that diabetes is not a mild condition. Diabetes is in fact one of the most serious health issues facing Scotland and the rest of the UK today and if society keeps on ignoring its importance we could be facing a potential health time-bomb."
Karen Adam is now the MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast
