North Wales MS Mark Isherwood was honoured to open a music-based festival today, ‘Ali Fest’, in memory of a Flintshire musician.
‘Ali Fest’ is also about raising awareness of the symptoms & complications of Type 1 diabetes.
Alastair Thomas, known as Ali, was a singer and musician from Flint.
Sadly he lost his live as a result of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious condition that affects people with type 1 diabetes and occasionally those with type 2 diabetes.
Today a music-based festival was held in his memory at Rhydymwyn Football Club.
Mr Isherwood was asked to speak at the event by Ali’s Mother, Dee Pinnington about both the important part that all family and friends can play in supporting anyone who lives with Type 1 diabetes, and his part in taking Ali’s legacy to the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament.
Addressing those in attendance at the inaugural event, he said:
“Ali was a fantastically talented musician who helped other local musicians at the start of their journey.
“This October, it will be six years since Ali’s sad passing from Diabetic Ketoacidosis, also known as DKA, a complication of his Type 1 diabetes.
“A singer, songwriter and a loved father, son and brother, he lived every day to the fullest and is greatly missed by his family.
“His sad passing should not have happened.
“As I stated in the Senedd, or Welsh Parliament, Chamber, awareness of DKA has since been his Mother's main priority and now, in her sixth year of campaigning, Dee Pinnington, who, like her son, lives with type 1 diabetes, continues her essential efforts.
“As I also said in the Senedd, awareness of DKA is as vital as ever, especially during unprecedented pressures on our health services.
“Understanding the symptoms and alerting medical services properly, so that they can categorise their help and prioritise an ambulance, can be the difference between life and death.
“Dee’s bilingual leaflet, “When Someone you Love has Type 1 Diabetes: Knowing what to do in an emergency”, in memory of Ali, is supported by both the Local Health Board and Diabetes UK Cymru, and has been shared digitally with General Practitioners across Wales.
“Campaigners also called for this leaflet or its contents to be available on the NHS Wales app.”
Acts at the Festival included:
- RKID,
- MonkeyWrench- The Best of Foos,
- Muddy Elephant,
- Scott Royle Music,
- DJ Chris Thomas,
- Adele Crimes,
- Wax Lyrical,
- Flint Guitar School,
- The New Kid Sphelm,
- SMITHSON
- and BREACH.
All funds raised from the event will be donated to Diabetes UK (DUK) Cymru.
For more information on the signs and symptoms of DKA visit Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) | Ketosis symptoms and treatment | Diabetes UK
