Polish Diabetes Association

Polish Diabetes Association is the oldest patients’ association in Poland, established in 1981.

At the beginning, in the 1980s, the association helped to provide diabetics with basic medications, equipment, and even food (food was rationed then).

At present, the mission, aims and goals of the Polish Diabetes Association include first and foremost:

• diabetes education in its broad sense (lectures, seminars, meetings, conferences, books, magazines, leaflets, individual counselling, web page, Facebook, Twitter);
• helping diabetics in all possible ways (but usually not financially): whenever possible, providing free diabetes equipment, helping with finding right doctors or clinics, fighting against discrimination or social exclusion of diabetics;
• monitoring the level of diabetes care in the country, trying to improve the standards and access to modern medications and treatment;
• integrating diabetics regionally, as well as nationally, so that they may create peer groups, give and receive psychological help from one another, and support one another.

Polish Diabetes Association has around 330 regional branches in the entire country, from big cities to small villages, in order for our help to reach as many patients as possible. We estimate that about 120 000 people per year benefit from our activities, out of which about 55 000 are formally members. The leaders of the particular regional branches, as well as other activists, are volunteers. However, there is a professional president, secretariat and bookkeeping at the organization headquarters.

The headquarters of the Polish Diabetes Association were situated in Bydgoszcz, central Poland, from the beginning of our existence until 2016. Now the president resides in Warsaw.

Our association is a member of three international organiations: International Diabetes Federation (www.idf.org), International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (www.iapo.org.uk) and World Patients Alliance (www.worldpatientsalliance.org).