14 June, 2011

A group of young people in Alice Springs will become the spokespeople for healthy eating and drinking to help avoid the spread of diabetes and chronic disease when the Jimmy Little Thumbs Up! workshop comes to town next week.

The mix of youth from schools and organisations around Alice Springs will be participating in the three-day workshop with high profile Indigenous hip hop performers Mark “Munkimuk" Ross and Ebony “Ebsta” Williams.

With one person being diagnosed with diabetes every 10 minutes in Australia and overall Indigenous kidney failure eight to 10 times that of non-indigenous Australians, Thumbs Up! Program Manager Miss Williams said the problem is one that affects nearly every person in the community.

“Some statistics say 80% of Territorians who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander have a preventable chronic disease,” she said.

“This is a situation that can’t be ignored and we are working with people and agencies across Australia to start reversing this trend.

“Uncle Jimmy Little has never smoked or been a drinker, yet he lives with diabetes and has had kidney failure and a transplant.

“Although not touring now, he and his team are spreading the message to young people about the importance of eating fruit and vegetables and drinking water together with a balanced diet that will help prevent chronic disease.”

Both primary and secondary aged young people will take part in the workshops at The Youth Hub with students already registered to take part.

“Most people in Alice Springs will know someone in their family with diabetes, it is rampant across the community and the Territory as a whole,” youth work support worker for Alternative Education, Anthony Bernhardt said.

The end result of this diabetes epidemic is being seen every day with the large numbers of patients being treated in the largest dialysis centre in the southern hemisphere located in Alice Springs.

“The Thumbs Up! workshop will give our young people the opportunity to hear how healthy eating can lead to a long life through song and creative expression.

“The participants will perform their song during a community gathering and lunch-time cook up at The Hub on Wednesday, 22 June – everyone’s welcome to come along.”

The Thumbs Up! team will also be working with local stores to get Uncle Jimmy’s Thumbs Up! Good Tucker – Long Life message on the shelves promoting fresh fruit and vegetables and water.

To date Thumbs Up! signage is seen in over 50 stores in the Territory through both Outback Stores and ALPA chains in Arnhem Land.

“I got involved with The Jimmy Little Foundation to raise awareness about how to avoid chronic disease among our people,” Miss Williams, a Wiradjuri woman said.

“The Thumbs Up! School Workshops engage young people with music and new media, while the Thumbs Up! Stores Program includes signage of Uncle Jimmy giving his thumbs up to healthy food and drink choices – it’s a holistic, preventative approach we believe.

“We have worked in over 20 communities so far and we are excited to be holding one for the first time in Alice Springs.”

The Thumbs Up! School Workshop in Alice Springs will be recorded and a video clip and audio file will be mastered for the students and the community to use into the future to spread the Good Tucker – Long Life message to young people all through the region.