Lace up your shoes and get ready to #WalkOn at Walk 2016

Under patronage of HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Walk 2016, celebrates its 10th year 

- 5.5km walk and a family fun day located at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, on Friday 11th November at 2pm, set to attract thousands of people across the Abu Dhabi community

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 10 November 2016:  The 10th annual walkathon, Walk 2016, under the patronage of HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, and hosted by Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, the region’s leading diabetes one stop shop, and supported by the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi, will this year be held at Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on Friday 11 November 2016.

The community is encouraged to come together and #WalkOn in a family day out for everyone towards a healthy lifestyle. The event attracted more than 21,000 participants in 2015 and is set to be even bigger this year. The event will feature a number of activations, events, competitions, celebrity participants and entertainers from across Abu Dhabi’s communities, including music, jugglers and yoga instructors at the beginning of the 5.5km Yas Marina circuit course. More activities will also follow the Walk, from bouncy castles, badminton and football games to stage entertainment with DJ.  Prizes such as fitbits and the latest sportswear will be up for grabs throughout the day.

Imperial College London Diabetes Centre is the region’s leading one stop shop for diabetes prevention, treatment, research and education, this year marking 10 years of tackling diabetes with the community where close to 1 in 5 people nationally have the condition. Walk 2016 will also be supported by other Mubadala healthcare providers, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Under the patronage of HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Centre’s public health campaign ‘Diabetes.Knowledge.Action’ is now in its 10th year, making it the longest running public health campaign in in the UAE. The campaign has the aim of bringing people together and spreading the word on how a simple exercise such as walking, can form a part of a healthy, active lifestyle which, when combined with a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy body weight, could help prevent, manage and even reverse diabetes.
H.E. Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of HAAD, said: “Prevention is always better than cure. The Walk has grown in popularity over the past decade with notably more members of the community, young and old, taking part in this memorable occasion.”

Suhail Mahmood Al Ansari, Executive Director of Mubadala Healthcare and Chairman of Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, added, “We are founded on being a community resource and making an impact in the country we serve in a holistic way that looks at all aspects of diabetes and healthcare. The Walk is a key embodiment of everything we stand for. I urge everyone to engage in this year’s Walk as a powerful symbol of what we can do to beat diabetes together. Exercising is crucial to everybody, living with or without diabetes, and as little as 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity, such as walking, at least five times a week will keep your health in check, as well as reducing the risk of diabetes-related conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure. The Walk is an important way of addressing some of the root causes in an upbeat, engaging way.’

Walk 2016, #WalkOn, will take place at Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi on Friday 11th November 2016.  Gates open at 2pm and the Walk will begin at 5pm.  Tickets are AED10 to enter (free entry for children under 16).  For more information please visit: http://www.diabetesuae.ae/