Changing Diabetes Bus
One of Novo Nordisk’s most ambitious communication initiatives to raise awareness of diabetes was launched in September 2006: The Changing Diabetes Bus – ‘A Global Drive to Change Diabetes’.
The bus was unveiled during the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), which was held in Copenhagen in September 2006. Over an 18-month period, the bus will visit five continents to engage with stakeholders in a dialogue on how to prevent and better control diabetes.
So far, the bus has visited four continents, travelling from Denmark to Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, South Africa, Australia, China and Japan and has been visited by almost 41,000 people.
The bus is a mobile exhibition that stops at schools, hospitals, libraries, parliaments, in town squares and at conferences. It is open to everybody, from those who know nothing about diabetes to healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, etc.) as well as local politicians, government officials and diabetes associations.
The bus is part of Novo Nordisk’s contribution to the ‘Unite for Diabetes’ campaign, led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), which helped driving the adoption of a United Nations (UN) Resolution on diabetes by the General Assembly on 20 December 2006. Read more here.
The bus has contributed greatly to raising awareness of diabetes and has generated intensive media coverage across the world, reaching more than 395 million people (readers, viewers and listeners) with messages of diabetes action.
More education needed
Each corner of the bus features an important theme in the fight against diabetes. Video screens, information boards, a drawing competition for children with diabetes, a testimonial box, and computers provide information and interaction for visitors of all ages, while trained personnel aboard the bus offer an opportunity to have a blood sugar test or a body mass index (BMI) measurement taken. Visitors also have the chance to sign a petition supporting the adoption and the subsequent implementation of the UN Resolution on diabetes.
While Novo Nordisk is committed to providing the best medicines, treatments, care, research and educational programmes, we feel that this is not enough. In order to combat diabetes, we need to reach out to the broader public and educate them on the facts.
Follow the journey on the internet
You can read more about the Changing Diabetes Bus and follow its journey on the internet. The site includes diary entries from members of the Novo Nordisk Youth Panel, who take turns travelling on the bus. More information about Novo Nordisk’s commitment to the IDF-led Unite for Diabetes campaign is available on the website, which also offers a virtual tour of the bus.
