‘Hack to the Future’ wins anti-diabetes project for teenagers

“Health Olympics 2.0” is the project awarded by “Hack to the Future”, an online hackathon organized by Novo Nordisk in collaboration with H-FARM, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin. Objective of the initiative: to devise innovative projects, intended to improve the quality of life of people with diabetes, involving diabetic doctors, psychologists, researchers, nurses, representatives of associations for the protection of the rights of people with diabetes. “Health Olympics 2.0”, conceived by Fabrizia Citro, specializing in endocrinology and metabolic diseases, Luca Giudice, specializing in endocrinology and metabolic diseases, Alessandra Mauri, psychotherapist psychologist, Sara Pozzati, president of the Ferrara Diabetes Association and Riccardo Trentin, president of Federation Sardinian Diabetes Ets-Odv – reports a note – is a health education project aimed at adolescents and their families, with the aim of halting the ever-growing curve of diabetes. Through a digital platform, the project – explains the note – aims to promote the adoption of healthy behaviors and lifestyles through dynamics of play and competition between students of different classes, with initiatives that promote socialization among children (sports, experiences, peer education) and actively involve families. The conviction of the creators of the initiative, which wants to be part of the food education projects already present in schools and promoted by the Ministry of Education as part of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, is that “informing is not enough: initiatives of communication and information are in fact unsuccessful if they fail to put into practice healthy behaviors and healthy habits “.” Novo Nordisk wants to constantly renew and strengthen its commitment in the field of diabetes. In this symbolic year for all people with diabetes and for those who take care of them, in which the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin is celebrated – explains Stefania Rinaldi, Marketing Director Novo Nordisk Italia – decided to organize a hackathon in which various figures who face the disease on a daily basis were involved. that innovative solutions can arise from different points of view and different skills and experiences, we aim to develop ppo of a new digital health to make patients increasingly protagonists and responsible ”, he underlines. “Modern diabetology was born 100 years ago with an epochal event, not only for diabetes, but for all medicine, the discovery of insulin”, remarked Stefano Del Prato, Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Pisa. represented a fundamental change of course, we have gone from a condition of inability to cure to the possibility of saving lives. Today – he stresses – we must investigate how to further improve diabetes therapy; 100 years of insulin history are 100 years of teaching , we must collaborate and look forward to be able to offer increasingly personalized and effective solutions that aim to improve the quality of life of people with diabetes. “” Hack to the Future is the first step in building a design path aimed at innovation; from the teachings of the past but looks to the future: a path in which all the actors who revolve around the disease are protagonists in offering innovative proposals for a progressive change ”, says Antonio Gaudioso, president of Cittadinanzattiva. “Today it is essential to build bridges that strengthen the relationship between the citizen and the national health service to have an equal relationship with health professionals to overcome the present information asymmetries.” “The pharmaceutical sector is undergoing a digital transformation in which the patient and its needs are placed at the center of evolution, health care is adapting to support people in the management of illnesses on a daily basis, but it is necessary to design services that are increasingly personalized and accessible to all “, comments Mauro Iannizzi, Principal of H -FARM. “People, in fact, expect constant health care to be guided in disinformation, for this – he concludes – it is important to exploit new digital technologies to develop new products that are better suited to different needs”.