WELCOMING ADDRESS
Kaichi Kida (Symposium Organizer)
Ehime University School of Medicine,
Ehime 791-0295, Japan
Diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents is
becoming one of the major targets of scientific interests and also one of
major subjects of public concerns. The mechanisms for the development of
type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus are gradually being unmasked
by the recent progress in the molecular biology and gene biology and
prediction/prevention of the two types of diabetes mellitus based on these
knowledge is a big scientific challenge in this century. In the meantime, a
well-organized care by a multidisciplinary team of health professionals is
a key for achievement of a good QOL of children and adolescents with either
type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Stepping into the reality of the world, even a
minimum care for children and adolescents with diabetes to survive or avoid
miserable complications of blindness or renal failure is not provided in
many parts of the world.
International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent
Diabetes (ISPAD) is an international academic organization dealing with
diabetes in children and adolescents which was founded in 1974 and has over
600 members in 70 countries. International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is a
world-wide non- governmental organization founded in 1950 for well-being of
patients with diabetes and their families which includes not only health
professionals but lay people. The IDF Consultative Section on Childhood and
Adolescent Diabetes has been working hard to assess the needs of children
and adolescents with diabetes in the world and to take action to meet them.
The activities of both organizations are directed to “Science of Diabetes”,
“ Education of Diabetes” and ”Advocacy of Patients with Diabetes” in
common. This time, ISPAD and IDF accordingly work together to organize a
symposium here to deliver the latest knowledge and technology for cares of
children and adolescents with diabetes and to insist on advocacy of them. I
hope this symposium will be the first milestone for better cares of
children and adolescents with diabetes in the 21st Century.