Every 20 seconds somewhere in the world someone loses a leg due to the complications of diabetes. At this moment, millions of people with diabetes suffer from poorly healing foot ulcers. These people can be helped when a multidisciplinary foot team shares common goals and follows evidence-based care.
The mission of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) is to produce evidence-based guidelines to inform health care providers all over the world on strategies for the prevention and management of diabetic foot disease. Thus the IWGDF aims to reduce the high patient and societal burden of diabetic foot disease.
Jan Apelqvist – in memoriam
It is with deep sadness that we learned of the death of our fellow IWGDF editorial board member Jan Apelqvist earlier this week. Jan was one of the earliest clinicians and researchers in diabetes-related foot disease, and has been a global advocate for improving care and research for these patients ever since.
Jan worked clinically as an expert in diabetes-related foot disease at the department of endocrinology University hospital of Skåne in Malmö, and as a researcher at the division for clinical sciences University of Lund (Sweden). His vast experience of clinical work, clinical research, leadership and teaching on the management and prevention of diabetes-related complications of the lower extremity and wound management has been valued throughout the world. He wrote various seminal papers in this field, and was widely recognized as a key leader. He has been president of EWMA (European Wound Management Association), international board member of the AAWC (Association for the Advancement of Wound Care), and he was one of the founding members of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF). He was part of the first-ever IWGDF editorial board, who produced the first guidelines in 1999. And he held that role until his sad and sudden death.
A friend to many, a mentor to so many more, and the quiet force behind so many initiatives. He will be greatly missed, but forever remembered, in the world of the diabetes-related foot disease. At this time, our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
On behalf of all IWGDF editorial board members, past and present
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Guidelines
The IWGDF Guidelines on the prevention and management of diabetic foot disease
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