Races for diabetes research

Press, 11 September 1986, Page 7

Races for diabetes research

The Zonta Club of Christchurch will go racing next month to help research into diabetes. The women’s service group has bought sponsorship rights to nine of the 10 races at the October 4 meeting at RiccartOn racecourse. It wants to sell the sponsorship of these races to other groups and firms and the money raised will go towards research at The Princess Margaret Hospital. It is the first time a service club has raised funds in this way in Christchurch.

“We will sell the races at $3OOO each and $4OOO for each leg of the double,” said the chairman of Zonta’s fund-rais-ing committee, Mrs Annette Prier. Companies which bought races would get the benefit of raceday advertising in newspapers, racebooks, and on radio, she said. Three of the races had already been sold to Kodak New Zealand, Ltd, Blooms Fashions, and Kent Prier Real Estate, Ltd.

Each race sold would include a package of 200

members’ stand and admission tickets and 20 lunch tickets.

The Canterbury Jockey Club had given Zonta 250 additional members’ stand and gate tickets and afternoon tea tickets. These would be sold at $lO for one of each ticket. A caravan where diabetic research unit staff would test people’s blood sugar levels would also be set up. Diabetes is found through this blood test, which involves taking a tiny sample of blood from a person’s thumb. Diabetes had been diag-

nosed in about 100,000 New Zealanders, although many others suffered side effects, such as heart disease and damage to eyes, kidneys, arteries and nerves from undiagnosed diabetes, Mrs Prier said.

The medical and surgical supplies company, Ebos, had given devices for measuring blood sugar levels which would be available at the races. Zonta wanted to make the race-day a carnival one, with pony rides and displays available for family entertainment.