Fed: Tony Abbott anounces new diabetes research centre

AAP General News (Australia)
04-08-2005
Fed: Tony Abbott anounces new diabetes research centre

By Sonya Neufeld

SYDNEY, Aug 4 AAP - Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott was still wearing his lycra
cycling pants when he arrived at a Sydney hospital today to launch a juvenile diabetes
research centre.

Mr Abbott had just wrapped up a 10-day charity bike ride during which he cycled 1,000
kilometres over 44 hours on the road.

Mr Abbott said the 2005 Pollie Pedal charity ride had raised more than $160,000 for
childhood leukaemia research at the Westmead Millennium Institute.

On March 30 at Sydney's Martin Place, Mr Abbott joined nine other lycra-clad politicians
and rode through NSW towns including Wollombi, Scone and Tamworth, before finishing today
at Westmead.

Mr Abbott said a $30 million Centre of Excellence for diabetes research would be set
up at Westmead Hospital.

"It's very important that private citizens, both individually and corporately and collectively
go the extra mile for good causes," Mr Abbott said.

"But it's also important that (the) government shoulder its responsibilities."

The national Centre of Excellence, which will be run by the Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation (JRDF), will focus on islet cell transplantation procedures in the hope of
finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes.

A variety of research institutions and clinical sites will bid for funding from the
virtual centre, which will provide grants from the last quarter of 2005.

Mr Abbott said the centre and its experimental therapy was a vital step in offering
hope to the more than 95,000 Australians affected by diabetes.

"People who have diabetes suffer from a range of health problems, and diabetes and
its associated illnesses is one of our biggest causes of death," he said.

"It's growing very rapidly in our population and that's why this is such an important
announcement today."

Islet cells are involved in regulating blood sugar levels and insulin production.

AAP sn/smb/cdh/sd

KEYWORD: PEDDLE

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