Tony Kelly

Tony Kelly’s write-up on the Jamaican diabetes tour 1st May – 3rd June 2026. After staying overnight at Gatwick Hilton Hotel on 30th April 2026 from my home  in Birmingham, I made the over nine-hour  British Airways flight from Gatwick Airport South Terminal to Norman Manley Airport, Kingston for the aforementioned diabetes tour which was initially scheduled for November 2025, during  diabetes month.  However, it was  postponed due to  hurricane Melissa having caused such havoc and destruction on the island. This was my third diabetes awareness tour to Jamaica having at my own expense done so in November 2022 and…

Diabetes Alert Jamaica 2026: A National Call to Action for Health, Hope, and Change Across Jamaica, a silent health crisis continues to grow—affecting families, communities, and the future of the nation. Diabetes is no longer just a medical condition; it is a public health emergency that demands urgent attention, collective action, and sustained education. In response to this pressing need, the JAMAICA MEDICAL FOUNDATION proudly presents: ## Diabetes Alert – Jamaica 2026 ### The Diabetes Management Series This landmark initiative is more than an event—it is a movement. A movement designed to inform, empower, and transform how diabetes is understood and managed across…

The proverbial saying ‘Best laid plans of mice and men’ and add to that women, which in this case refers to my intention to regularly write a blog has not  happened due to a  busy schedule.as evidenced here. Apart from doing several diabetes awareness events in my home city Birmingham since the start of the year I have done others in Huntingdon, near Cambridge,  Manchester and London. I continue to include in my everyday routine a lot of physical activity to burn up the calories and by so doing manage/control my type 2 diabetes.This in turn helps to keep the…

It pays to talk as my grandmother used to say to me ‘Open yuh mouth and talk ‘. Today I was a main diabetes speaker at a health fair at Tower Hamlet Town Hall in London and the organisers booked me on a homeward bound train for 7.15 pm which is off peak and cheaper when the event finished at about 3.00 pm. I decided to edge my bets in my diabetes apparel with one of the Avanti train staff located in customer service. He has type 2 diabetes and gave me dispensation to travel on a much earlier train…

Tony’s first article written  in autumn 2012  for Diabetes UK, Diabetes Lifestyle magazine — Meeting The Needs Of Diverse Communities Living With Diabetes.

Tony in his apron/pinafore for the first time learning to cook Caribbean  food in 2009. The best Christmas present he has ever had from his daughter of 15 Caribbean cookery classes.

Tony Kelly bedecked in the colours of the Jamaican flag eating Devon House ice cream on one of his diabetes trips to the island

Click the images to enlarge the images of Tony preparing food in his kitchen. Phots taken by Poppy Brady of the Voice newspaper in 2017.

It was first described in 1955   in Jamaica, then forgotten about for many years…….       Click here to read article