A good life with diabetes
The Diabetes Association, Diabetesförbundet i Finland rf in Swedish, is a patient, public health and specialist organization founded in 1955. We work both nationally and regionally to beat diabetes as well as to develop and ensure excellent care for persons with diabetes.
We offer knowledge, action and support for patients as well as their families. We improve the knowledge of diabetes among social welfare and health care professionals by educating and sharing information about diabetes. We are also involved in the development of new diabetes treatment methods and care guidance.
The diabetes community
The Finnish Diabetes Association serves as a central organization for local diabetes member associations. We function locally, nationally and internationally.
The Finnish Diabetes Association has roughly 45 000 members, more than 90 regional and three national diabetes member associations: Diabetesseura T1D ry, Hypokoira ry and Ykköstyypit ry.
The Finnish Diabetes Association also has four professional member associations: Diabeteshoitajat ry, Suomen Diabetestutkijat ja Diabetologit ry, Jalkojenhoitajat ja jalkaterapeutit ry and the Diabetes Education Study Group DESG.
The Finnish Diabetes Association’s main office employs roughly 35 people and is located in Tampere.
Our business idea
Our goal is to ensure the best obtainable care and life for persons with diabetes as well as their families. We work to build a vigorous diabetes community that corresponds to people’s needs and expectations, and that everyone can find their own way to be a part of.
Our work is broad scale: our main focus lies on providing support for persons with diabetes and their families, the advancement of diabetes related knowledge as well as on being socially influential.
Societal influence
The Diabetes Association is the voice of persons with diabetes in Finnish society. We work toward the prevention of diabetes and complications of diabetes, as well as toward diabetes care development. We oversee the interests of persons with diabetes and strive to advance public health and well being.
We regularly examine the views and experiences of persons with diabetes regarding social welfare and health services as part of diabetes self-care support (The Diabetes Barometer), as well as various matters regarding diabetes and everyday life (Diabetes in everyday life). The results serve as the basis for societal discourse, influence and development measures.
We work closely with public health organizations and decision makers. We affect legislation with the help of decision makers as well as expert opinions. A diabetes network has been active within the Finnish Parliament since 1979.
Economy
The Finnish Diabetes Association is a non-profit Finnish patient and public health organization. Our activity is funded through membership fees, our own fundraising, donations, business collaboration and public as well as individual contributions.
Roughly 43 per cent of the Finnish Diabetes Associations revenue is gained as government aid from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
The organization
The general assembly is the decision making authority of the Finnish Diabetes Association, and they come together annually. The administration is in charge of the Diabetes Associations practical activities in accordance with decisions made by the general assembly. The executive director acts as head of the association’s daily regime.
The general assembly’s decision making, organization of the regime and division of power are all stipulated in the Finnish Diabetes Associations regulations. These regulations create the framework for the activity. The Finnish Diabetes Associations regulations have been approved on February 21st 2024.
The Diabetes Associations administration
The chairman of the Finnish Diabetes Associations administration is specialist Juha Tall, Doctor of Science (Economics and Business Administration) from Seinäjoki. Health care counsellor Leena Rosenberg from Kuopio serves as the vice chairman.
Specialist Entities
The specialist entities of the Finnish Diabetes Association are the physician council and youth committee. The purpose of the physician council is to incorporate expertise from various fields and customer groups with the Diabetes Associations activities, as well as to take part in the development of aforementioned activities.
International collaboration
The Finnish Diabetes Association is a member of the International Diabetes Federation IDF, as well as IDF Europe and is actively collaborating with Nordic Forum, the cooperative body for Scandinavian diabetes associations. Aside from Finland, national diabetes organizations from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and the Faroe Islands are part of Nordic Forum.
In our international collaboration we exchange experiences regarding good practices and affect decisions made by the EU and WHO.
History
The National Diabetics Association was founded on the 22nd of May 1955 in Tampere, which still remains its home today. The union activities of persons with diabetes had started already in 1948 when a price increase on insulin threatened their well being.