Brazil

An account of the Walk in Montes Claros

Montes Claros, where Novo Nordisk has a production site in Brazil (Site-Moc) made the largest walk in Brazil. We counted 2,045 walkers (tickets were used). The Walk started at 8 a.m. and finished at 8'37 a.m. We had the support of 46 policemen from our State Police. To provide medical care, two ambulances, one from the Fire Department and one from the Municipality Health Secretary, followed the walk.
 
To make this walk possible, we had the valuable support from many partners. Besides the ones mentioned above, the University of Montes Claros got involved and 22 undergrad students of the Physical Education played an important role as counters.
 
The Social Service of Commerce (Sesc) had an important role. Besides providing their personnel as walkers, they helped to cheer up all the participants all the way down. Hermenegildo Giovanonni (the bearded guy in the picture below, a well-known P.E. teacher, was on the microphone saying messages for motivating the walkers and informing the benefits of exercising. We used a "trio elétrico" (trucks that are mobile stages). 
 

 

In the last 15 days, we set a campaign to help raising aware of diabetes with advertisements on TV and radio, and also to call people on to the Walk (I can send those ads in an Mpeg format, they already have subtitles). Besides, we had posters and billboards all over the town. As additional activities, on November 11th, Novo Nordisk Site-Moc offered a breakfast for all partners. From November 12th to 14th, the Municipality Health Service provided glucosis and blood pressure exams in many areas in town. On November 13th, there was a Diet Cuisine Workshop at our Shopping Mall, attended by 50 people. At the end, they could taste the dishes prepared and watch a theater presentation. 
 
 

An interesting thing about our TV and radio ads: the "star" in those was Naná Rebelo, a 40 year-old diabetes type 1 patient. She's got the disease since she was 5 and has always used insulin by Novo Nordisk. She tells that 35 years ago, there were no insulin makers in Brazil (the brazilian insulin maker that NN acquired two years ago, Biobrás, went live a few years later). Naná's family had a friend who worked as a pilot. This man usualy flyed to Europe (that includes Danmark) and he used to buy the insulin for her. She's a very positive person and feels much stronger than her condition.

At the end of the walk, there was a small concert performed by the Symphonic Orchestra of Montes Claros.