Bermuda Diabetes Association will be rolling out a new mascot this year to help gets its Diabetes prevention and healthy living message out to the younger members of the community.

The mascot ? ?Marty the Turkey? was named last month following a competition among the Island?s students.

In the end, the winning name, Marty, came from Kalifa Day Care.

Marty the Turkey will be the association?s mascot during Diabetes Awareness Months next November and for the charity?s annual Denim Day.

But Marty will be reporting for work earlier in the year, however, meeting with children in the community and at schools.

Sarah Burrows of the Bermuda Diabetes Association Resource Centre said Marty will sport denim for the charity?s Denim Day but most of the year will sport the slogan ?Unite for Diabetes? in support of the UN campaign of the same name.

This effort will be in connection with the International Diabetes Federation?s (IDF) president Professor Martin Silink.

?Mr. Silink is spear-heading the campaign for a United Nations resolution on diabetes,? said Mrs. Burrows.

?He leads the world-wide campaign by the IDF to have the UN and its member countries to recognise the global burden of diabetes.

?The disease is a global problem with devastating human, social and economic impact. Diabetes is a silent killer that kills one person every ten seconds somewhere in the world.

?Today, more than 240 million people world-wide are living with diabetes. This number is increasing by six million people every year.

?The growing pandemic is set to overwhelm healthcare resources in every country and, in many, is disabling or killing people of working age. To do nothing is no longer and option.?

The aim of the UN Resolution is to raise awareness among policy makers of the global public health challenge.

?It is a life-threatening condition,? Mrs. Burrows said of the disease.

?A full and healthy life is, however, possible with diabetes and in many cases, diabetes can be prevented.

?Diabetes is the leading risk factor for heart disease and can have an enormous impact on health of the work force. Prevent diabetes and you will be preventing heart disease.?

The new mascot will be leading the way toward better living, she added.

?Marty himself will be making some healthy lifestyle choices in 2007 in his effort to prevent diabetes.?