- Boehringer Ingelheim’s CRM United event in Dubai used football’s universal language to raise awareness about the interconnectivity between cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic (CRM) diseases.
- Hosted on a football pitch, the event brought together medical experts, colleagues, and football star Ahmed Fathy to turn football’s yellow card into a “Card of Action”.
- The initiative highlighted the importance of early diagnosis and holistic care in managing CRM diseases.
Dubai, UAE 24, November 2025: Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world’s leading research-driven biopharmaceutical companies, hosted its CRM United awareness event on a football pitch at RAD Sports – Dubai Studio City. The venue became the stage for an inspiring afternoon dedicated to raising awareness about the interconnectivity between cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic (CRM) diseases[1] and the importance of early diagnosis.[2],[3]
With over 850 million people living with chronic kidney disease,[4] 589 million with diabetes,[5] and 64 million with heart failure,[6] the need for awareness and action is more pressing than ever. The event brought together Dr. Mona Alrukhaimi, President of the Emirates Medical Association for Nephrology and Transplantation; Dr. Nadya Almatrooshi, General Secretary and Head of Heart Failure Working Group of the Emirates Cardiac Society; Dr. Mohamed Farghaly, Scientific Committee Chairperson of the Emirates Family Medicine Society; Boehringer Ingelheim colleagues; and football star Ahmed Fathy. Drawing parallels between teamwork on the pitch and the body’s interconnected CRM systems, the event emphasized that – just like in football – when one player struggles, the whole team feels the pressure.
At the heart of the event stood a giant yellow card, football’s universal symbol of warning, reimagined as a “Card of Action.” Event attendees wrote one-word commitments such as Act, Protect, Unite, and Defend in response to the question “How do you respond to a warning?” This shared moment transformed the yellow card into a symbol of empowerment – encouraging people to recognize the warning signs and potential complications of CRM diseases, and act early to protect their overall health. The event also featured friendly football matches among colleagues, reinforcing the essence of teamwork, collaboration, and shared commitment to CRM health.
Reflecting on the initiative, Evren Ozlu, Head of Human Pharma for the India, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (IMETA) region, said, “CRM United reflects our belief that awareness helps improve lives. By connecting science with something people love – football – we hope to inspire earlier action and stronger understanding of how interconnected CRM health really is. Every step towards awareness is a step towards helping people live better, healthier lives.”
By turning football’s most recognizable warning into a call for early action, Boehringer Ingelheim’s CRM United reinforces the company’s ongoing commitment to raising public awareness, empowering communities, and inspiring people to act early to protect their health – because life has no extra time.
About Boehringer Ingelheim:
Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that improve the lives of humans and animals. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need. Founded in 1885 and family-owned ever since, Boehringer Ingelheim takes a long-term perspective. Around 54,500 employees serve more than 130 markets in the three business areas, Human Pharma, Animal Health, and Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com.
[1] Marassi, M., & Fadini, G. P. (2023). The cardio-renal-metabolic connection: a review of the evidence. Cardiovascular diabetology, 22(1), 195. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-023-01937-x
[2] KDIGO 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Diabetes Management in Chronic Kidney Disease
[3] Heart failure and chronic kidney disease manifestation and mortality risk associations in type 2 diabetes: A large multinational cohort study – PubMed
[4] New global kidney health report sheds light on current capacity around the world to deliver kidney care – International Society of Nephrology
[5] IDF Diabetes Atlas 2025 | Global Diabetes Data & Insights
[6] Global burden of heart failure: a comprehensive and updated review of epidemiology – PubMed