Pravina Vandra, 75, from Wembley, first moved to Brent in 1972. Now retired, Pravina formerly owned a supermarket at Wembley Triangle, as well as a career working as a Clerical and Administrative Officer at Northwick Park Hospital.
Pravina was diagnosed with diabetes in 2005 after experiencing frequent thirst and fatigue.After living as a diabetic for more than 20 years, she decided to sign up to the Brent Health Matters (BHM) Diabetes Support Programme after reading about the sessions in the council’s Your Brent Magazine.
“I wanted to learn, work hard and feel healthier,” She said. “At the programme I learned about diabetes and how it affects your body, but also how to manage the condition with diet and exercise.
“I am from an Indian culture, with our own foods, fruits, and vegetables – and it was amazing to get advice that was relevant to my culture. So I could hold on to my traditions and way of life but still control my diabetes.”
Pravina has managed to reverse her diabetes since completing the programme after taking up walking and new dietary habits.