Bayer Diabetes Care sponsors football event for diabetic youths

Bayer Diabetes Care has helped to organise and support a recent community event that gave young diabetes patients a chance to train at Glasgow Celtic Football Club.

The Around U Soccer Skills Day was sponsored by the company alongside Diabetes.co.uk, with further support from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Diabetes UK Scotland.

It saw 50 young sports fans, all of whom have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, provided with the chance to learn new skills at the training grounds at Lennoxtown, as well as allowing them to meet others with the same condition.

They were also addressed by Celtic FC Youth star Paul McMullan and former player Danny McGrain, who encouraged participants not to let their diabetes hold them back.

Andrea Postles at Bayer Diabetes Care said: "It's quite evident that it was the first time some of these youngsters have had an opportunity to mix with others who also have type 1 diabetes and this gave them more confidence."

According to the company's most recent financial report, the Bayer group saw a 5.4 percent increase in sales on a year-over-year basis in the second quarter of 2011.