Media Releases - 11 November 2021

“More than 361,000 Victorians live with diabetes and are registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme,” says Diabetes Victoria CEO Craig Bennett. “Around 90 people in Victoria develop the condition every day. It is more pressing than ever to invest in diabetes research to further our understanding of this serious and complex condition. Every dollar directed towards research is important.”

Diabetes Victoria is proud to play its part. The 2021 Trisha Dunning Research Scholarship will be awarded to Ms Sabine Kleissl-Muir, registered nurse and PhD candidate at Deakin University, and Ms Belinda Moore, registered nurse and Masters candidate at the University of Melbourne.

Ms Kleissl-Muir will receive a total of $40,000 to support her PhD studies into the effects of a low carbohydrate diet on heart failure symptoms and quality of life in patients with diabetic cardiomyopathy. Ms Moore will receive $20,000 to support a pilot study that will investigate the first year of parenthood and its impact on a father’s type 1 diabetes management, emotional wellbeing, father-child relationship and their child’s health trajectory.

“On behalf of Diabetes Victoria, I congratulate Sabine and Belinda as the inaugural recipients of the Trisha Dunning Research Scholarship,” says Mr Bennett. “Sadly, Trisha died on 14 October – just one month before the recipients were to be announced.

However, shortly before she died I was able to tell Trisha that we would be awarding two talented researchers the scholarship
bearing her name and she was delighted. I am sure Trisha would have been proud that both Sabine and Belinda will continue her legacy.”

Emeritus Professor Trisha Dunning AM was a leading nurse, diabetes clinician, qualitative methods researcher and educator, with an international profile and reputation. Trisha published widely and was acknowledged as an expert on diabetes management and care guidelines – particularly for older people and people receiving palliative or end-of-life care. Trisha was also a significant contributor to many other diabetes organisations, such as the International Diabetes Federation, Diabetes Australia and the Australian Diabetes Educators Association. As the inaugural Chair in Nursing in the Deakin/Barwon Health partnership, Trisha was instrumental in establishing the Deakin/Barwon Health nursing research program.

In 2004, Trisha was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her contributions to diabetes and to nursing, and in 2010 she was the recipient of Diabetes Victoria’s Outstanding Contribution Award. In 2014, Trisha was admitted to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for her exceptional work towards improving the lives of people with diabetes. In 2020, Trisha received the Federation
of European Nurses in Diabetes 25th Anniversary Recognition Award and was honoured with a scholarship in her name from Diabetes Victoria. Trisha was a Director of the Diabetes Victoria Board – a role she held since 2011.

World Diabetes Day: We’re not done yet This World Diabetes Day (Sunday 14 November), Diabetes Victoria is supporting the International Diabetes Federation’s awareness-raising campaign with our own message: We’re not done yet.

With this campaign, Diabetes Victoria is celebrating medical breakthroughs of the past 100 years, while acknowledging that we still have further to go to find a cure for all types of diabetes. World Diabetes Day is celebrated around the globe and falls every year on 14 November – the anniversary of Sir Frederick Banting’s birth. It was Banting who managed to isolate the insulin hormone for the first time in 1921.

Despite this, 100 years later, we haven’t reached the end of the road – a world free from diabetes. While there are now effective treatments and cutting-edge technology available for people with diabetes, we still haven’t found a cure.

Shining a light on diabetes – Blue Monument Challenge

Along with diabetes organisations throughout the world, Diabetes Victoria will participate in the Blue Monument Challenge on World Diabetes Day. This challenge was launched in 2007 and since then, thousands of iconic sites and buildings in over 80 countries have gone blue to raise awareness about diabetes. This year, we are shining a light on diabetes by lighting up Bendigo’s Conservatory Building at sunset on Sunday 14 November.

World Diabetes Day podcast episode

In Diabetes Victoria’s special podcast episode for World Diabetes Day, host Jack Fitzpatrick talks to Professor Peter Colman AM about Banting’s discovery – and how it has literally saved millions of lives. Professor Colman is a prominent Melbourne endocrinologist with the Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Professor Colman is also a Board Director of Diabetes Victoria and chairs the Clinical Advisory Committee. You can listen to this episode here: diabetesvic.org.au/podcasts.

We support, empower, and campaign for all Victorians affected by, or at risk of, diabetes.

For more information:

Sybille Taylor     0408 102 344      staylor@diabetesvic.org.au

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