Natasha Irfan, Pakistan
The death of my grandmother is still fresh in my memory although it has been years. It was quite a shock. She was only 55 years old. Passed away from a silent heart attack in the night. I don't remember anything about my grandfather other than the stories I've heard or the pictures I've seen. Both my paternal grandparents were diabetics. Grandpa suffered from gangrene. My parents are diabetics as well. You will be amazed by the amount of sugar and fats we consume in our diet as a nation. Coming from a low income country, where NCDs are the major contributor to morbidity and mortality, having diabetes is a norm. My major struggle has been getting people to realize that noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension are actually preventable and manageable diseases, not life sentences. In my country getting diagnosed with diabetes is like a death sentence. The problem is that no one links it to the diet they consume or the lifestyle they adapt. Ever since I got into medical school, I've been working to educate and raise awareness about these diseases through multiple campaigns. NCDs affect almost everyone, either directly or indirectly. I want people to realize that these diseases are preventable. Lifestyle modifications play a major role in their prevention. Controlling risk factors and public education play a very important role in the reducing the burden of NCDs. With constant effort, hopefully one day we can realize the dream of a world free of the burden of NCDs.