J Walter Thompson puts diabetics under the arc lights for Accu-Chek

The campaign is being amplified through print, digital and radio.

Diabetes often enters our lives as a silent killer and may go undetected until too late. Early detection and intervention can go a long way in preventing the disease from assuming alarming proportions in our lives.

To raise awareness about the same, Roche Diabetes Care, a blood glucose monitoring company, has come out with a campaign titled 'Real Heroes v/s Diabetes'. Conceptualised by J Walter Thompson, the campaign features real-life heroes who have fought and won the battle against the disease with Accu-Chek Active blood glucose meters which have helped them keep their blood sugar levels in check.

The campaign, which was rolled out in January this year, and which is now being promoted across India through print, radio and digital, raises a question through its print ads: What is common between Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram and Mihir Shah, an entrepreneur from Mumbai? Well, both have diabetes and feature in the new Accu-Chek blood glucose meter advertisement in which they narrate their own experiences regarding the disease, its diagnosis and subsequent control through the regular use of Accu-Chek Active blood glucose meter. According to both Akram and Shah, Accu-Chek Active blood glucose meter helped them 'self-monitor' their diabetes and thereby introduce subtle changes in their dietary and lifestyle habits which helped them lead better lives.

"Given the enormity and proportion of diabetes in India, it is important that we advance understanding and awareness of 'self-monitoring' as an integral part of diabetes management in our country," says Sidhartha Roy, business head, Roche Diabetes Care, India.

According to Roy, self-monitoring can help guide diabetic patients, as well as healthcare professionals to adjust the many different parts of therapeutic interventions, and thus potentially save on treatment costs. "We believe that self-monitoring of blood glucose empowers and enables a person with diabetes to make informed and timely decisions regarding his health and lifestyle, thereby making him the real hero," adds Roy.