Founding chairman of the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists passes away

A pioneering doctor who was the founding chairman of the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) has passed away, aged 79.
Dr John Wales helped to set up the national group which represents diabetes consultants in the UK and dedicated much of his working career to treating people with diabetes and researching the condition.
Dr Wales was a diabetologist at the General Infirmary at Leeds and senior lecturer in the Academic Unit of Molecular Vascular Medicine. He passed away while on holiday in Finland.
Although he was largely based in the UK, he held several prestigious roles abroad and helped to improve diabetes care in China after making several recommendations in a bid to modernise provisions there.
Dr Dinesh Nagin, ABCD’s committee chair called him a “highly committed professional and diabetologist”.
In a statement posted on the organisation’s website, Dr Nagi added: “He inspired many young doctors, including myself, to take up careers in diabetes and endocrinology and, more importantly, to take up research.
“Arguably John’s greatest legacy is the founding of ABCD almost exactly 20 years ago, jointly with Prof Ken Shaw and Dr Richard Greenwood and nurturing the association with drive and determination through the difficult early years.”
Dr Wales also formed part of the editorial board for the Practical Diabetes journal and during his tenure he provided many articles as part of the publication’s Consult the Experts series which involved a number of case histories and his advice.
Professor Ken Shaw, from the journal, said: “Through his characteristic personal perspective, derived from substantial clinical experience, John provided common sense and pragmatic wisdom that very much shaped the special philosophy of the Journal as seen today.
“We were all captured by his challenges to do better, and will very much miss him, but he leaves a wonderful legacy for us to follow.”
He was laid to rest during a ceremony in North Yorkshire in September.