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Lewes, June 22 2006 |
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Pakistani Cricket Legend Wasim "King" Akram came to Leicester to Raise Awareness of Diabetes in children
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Listen to radio interviews:
Wasim Akram, former captain of Pakistan and legendary all-rounder is working together with Roche Diagnostics to educate local children on the importance of good health and fitness when living with diabetes.
Wasim came to Leicester and shared his experiences of diabetes and playing international cricket.
Wasim, nicknamed "King" amongst his millions of fans, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1993 and has worked to raise awareness of the disease ever since. His aim is to show children with diabetes that they can live full and active lives and to promote an understanding of the condition.
Notes for Editor:
- Now retired, Wasim Akram is a legendary all rounder who played for Lancashire for ten years where he was nick-named King, as well as playing for Hampshire and for Pakistan for more than 16 years (Akram was Pakistan national captain)
- Wasim is considered to be one of the worlds best all rounders - with a similar profile to Imran Khan and Ian Botham
- Wasim currently works as a sports commentator and reality TV host on a cricket show in India and Pakistan
- He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1993 while still playing international cricket, and has worked in Pakistan and India to raise awareness of the disease ever since
- Since 1993, Wasim has followed a healthy diet and exercise programme and has been able to live a normal and active life
- Wasim played in 104 test matches and 356 one day internationals, scoring a grand total of 6,615 runs and taking 916 wickets
- He is one of only two cricketers to have claimed 400 wickets in both Test Matches and ODI's. In a recent poll, most batsmen said they feared facing Wasim more than any other bowler.
- He was the first bowler in cricketing history to take more than 500 wickets in one-day internationals
Further biography available on request
About Roche and Roche Diabetes Care
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As a supplier of innovative products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is a world leader in diagnostics, the leading supplier of medicines for cancer and transplantation and a market leader in virology. In 2005 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totalled 27.3 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 8.2 billion Swiss francs. Roche Diabetes Care posted 2005 sales of 2.9 billion Swiss francs. Roche employs roughly 70,000 people in 150 countries and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. Roche's Diagnostics Division offers a uniquely broad product portfolio and supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide.
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