Pioneer in Therapeutic Patient Education, Professor Jean-Philippe Assal, Wins 2013 IDF Europe Prize in Diabetes for Long-Standing Achievement

BRUSSELS, November 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Professor Jean-Philippe Assal was presented with the 2013 IDF Europe Prize in Diabetes for Long-Standing Achievement today at an award ceremony at the European Parliament in Brussels. The prize was handed over in recognition of his ground-breaking work in the field of therapeutic patient education.

A diabetologist and endocrinologist by training, Professor Jean-Philippe Assal was convinced early on that the education of people with diabetes needed to be an integral part of the care provided by the healthcare team. For this reason, he founded the first Diabetes Treatment and Teaching Unit at the University Hospital of Geneva in 1975. Working closely with the World Health Organization, his unit became a WHO Collaborating Centre as from 1983.

"The treatment of diabetes implies changes that affect all aspects of a person's life: work, friends, free time, how they eat and how they live", comments Professor Assal. "For a majority of people with diabetes, there is a long a complex path towards accepting their condition and realizing that, if they follow certain rules, they can live a long and healthy life," he adds. "As healthcare providers, it is essential that we build a dialogue with the person we treat and that we accompany them along this long and complex path. With our Foundation, we have developed creative programmes, theatre of lived experience and painting workshops, geared towards patients and their difficulties in coping with their disease."

At the European level, Professor Assal has always been a strong advocate for patient education and research in diabetes. He is one of the co-founders of the Diabetes Education Study Group of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). In addition, Professor Assal is responsible for postgraduate courses on Therapeutic Patient Education and long-term follow-up strategies in the Foundation he directs.

As part of World Diabetes Day celebrations in the European Parliament in Brussels, Professor Assal received today the IDF Europe Prize in Diabetes for Long-Standing Achievement. "We are pleased to hand over the prize to such a prominent figure in diabetes education", said João Manuel Valente Nabais, President of IDF Europe. "Through his outstanding work, Professor Assal has improved the lives of countless people with diabetes and inspired generations of healthcare providers."

Professor Assal was present in Brussels to receive the award personally. "It is an honour for me to receive this prize. This award is recognition of joint ventures with many physicians and nurses throughout Europe. I owe them so much." he said.

An initiative led by the European Region of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF Europe), the Prize in Diabetes for Long-Standing Achievement is supported by an educational grant from Eli Lilly. "Lilly Diabetes is proud of its commitment to diabetes education and its long standing partnership with IDF Europe in support of the many initiatives to help improve the daily lives of people with diabetes. It is a great pleasure to

present the prize to Professor Assal and to be a part of recognising Professor Assal's significant life-time contribution in the field of diabetes patient education", said Kern Briggs, Senior Director European Public Affairs, Eli Lilly and Company.

Despite having retired, Professor Assal is still actively involved in the field of therapeutic patient education for diabetes and other chronic diseases. He is the President of the Foundation for Research & Training in Patient Education in Geneva.  In addition, he also helps several clinical centres to implement patient education strategies in various countries and continues to organise training workshops for healthcare providers into the field of creativity and its role in improving the long-term follow-up of patients.

As the winner of the IDF Europe Prize in Diabetes for Long-Standing Achievement, Professor Assal will receive a cheque of 10,000 euros that he will donate to a charity of his choice.

About the IDF Europe Prize in Diabetes

Launched in 2012, the IDF Europe Prize in Diabetes rewards excellence, innovation and commitment in Diabetes.

This award also aims at increasing awareness of diabetes and recognizing outstanding individuals who have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of people with diabetes through their work and through research.

This year, IDF Europe is awarding two prizes: one in the category Long-Standing Achievement and one in the category Young Researcher.

AbouttheInternationalDiabetesFederationEuropeanRegion -IDFEurope

IDF Europe is the European Region of the International Diabetes Federation. We are an umbrella organisation uniting 66 diabetes associations in 47 countries. We represent people with diabetes and their families, as well as health professionals working in diabetes.

Through our work, we aim to influence policy, increase public awareness and encourage health improvement, promote the exchange of best practice and high-quality information about diabetes in all countries throughout the Region.

For more information, visit http://www.idf-europe.org.