Defeat Diabetes Foundation Announces Mr. Diabetes®
Achievement Award™
Recognizing Diabetics for their Contribution to Awareness and Prevention
Madeira Beach, FL – Today in conjunction with Diabetes Awareness Month, Defeat Diabetes Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit dedicated to promoting diabetes awareness and prevention, announces the establishment of the Mr. Diabetes® Achievement Award.
The award, which consists of public recognition and a cash prize, will be given to a diabetic or diagnosed pre-diabetic individual or group for work that contributes to the knowledge, awareness and/or prevention of diabetes. The Grand Prize will be $3500, Second Place $1500 and Third Place $500 with recognition being given to the top ten finalists. The 2004 Award will focus on efforts or campaigns creating awareness and steps to prevent the disease.
Andrew P. Mandell - Mr. Diabetes®, Executive Director of Defeat Diabetes Foundation, is currently undertaking his own epic awareness campaign by walking the 10,000+mile perimeter of the United States -- The Mr. Diabetes® Wake Up and Walk® Tour.
“Tragically this disease has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. But, it’s important to note, 75% of the time Type 2 diabetes is preventable. It’s going to take the efforts of a lot of individuals to get this disease in check, and we’d like to encourage those who are already doing good work to continue doing it” says Mandell.
“We just want to make sure that those efforts are being recognized by someone. It also shows through a peer model that even though diabetes is life threatening and its complications represent a significant disability, that diabetics are neither helpless nor hopeless,” concluded Mandell.
Over 22 million people have the disease, and 2,200 people are being diagnosed daily. Astonishingly, nearly one-half of all diabetics don’t know they have this potentially debilitating disease and another 22+ million people are “pre-diabetics” who may not be aware that they are in danger of developing the disease.
The complications from diabetes can be severe. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness in the United States and can also lead to amputations, heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease. Diabetes causes 220,000 deaths annually in the United States alone, and cost the nation 132 billion dollars in 2002 in medical costs.
For additional information about the Mr. Diabetes® Achievement Award visit the Defeat Diabetes Foundation website at: www.DefeatDiabetes.org or send a self addressed stamped envelope for Award application form and eligibility requirements t Mr. Diabetes® Achievement Award -- Defeat Diabetes Foundation – 501 150th Avenue North – Madeira Beach, FL 33708.
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