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American Diabetes Association Invites All to Join America's Walk for Diabetes

Posted on: Tuesday, 3 October 2006, 18:00 CDT

SOMERSET, N.J., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The northern New Jersey office of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) invites the public to join the annual America's Walk for Diabetes by participating in one of four New Jersey walks this October.

This year's events are expected to raise over $500,000 for diabetes research, education, information and advocacy for all types of diabetes as more than 3,000 area residents team up with family, friends, neighbors and co-workers for the non-competitive walks. New Jersey's walks are among 250 locations across the country walking for a cure in October.

The first of the four New Jersey Walks took place last Sunday, October 1 in Franklin Lakes. The remaining three events are:

Princeton, New Jersey Sunday, October 8

The second of the four events is scheduled for October 8, 2006 in Princeton. This scenic five-mile walk follows a route through historic downtown Princeton and the Princeton University Campus. Check in begins at 9 a.m. at Princeton University and the walk begins at 10 a.m.

Morristown, New Jersey Sunday, October 15

Morristown is the setting for the third of New Jersey's four America's Walk for Diabetes events on October 15, 2006. Everyone is invited to participate in a five-mile walk along a wooded park that follows the Loantaka Brook. Check in begins at 9 a.m. at Loantaka Brook Park and the walk begins at 10 a.m.

Edison, New Jersey Sunday, October 22

The fourth and final of America's Walk for Diabetes in New Jersey will take place on October 22, 2006, in Edison. Participants will enjoy a picturesque three-mile walk through Roosevelt Park. Check in begins at 9 a.m. at Roosevelt Park and the walk begins at 10 a.m.

Each America's Walk for Diabetes event in New Jersey will include on-site festivities, entertainment, refreshments and educational Diabetes Community Forums. Registration is free and participants can register as individuals, as a family or corporate team. Funds raised through America's Walk for Diabetes support diabetes research, advocacy and education.

More than 20.9 million Americans have diabetes, including over 600,000 in New Jersey. Thousands more will be diagnosed and affected this year. If present trends continue, one in three Americans born since 2000 -- and one in two minorities -- will develop type 2 diabetes. Today, more than two million teenagers ages 12-19 (1 in 6 overweight adolescents) have pre-diabetes. Diabetes is the fifth deadliest disease in America, killing more people than AIDS and breast cancer combined. More than 213,000 Americans each year will die from its complications.

"Diabetes is a devastating disease that touches us all. It does not discriminate by age, gender, race or socio-economic status," said Martin Soeters, chairperson for the America's Walk for Diabetes events and president of Novo Nordisk USA. Novo Nordisk is the presenting sponsor for all four of America's Walk for Diabetes in New Jersey. "America's Walk for Diabetes is a wonderful opportunity to come together and help raise money for an exceptionally worthy cause. The fun, camaraderie and sense of reward that is experienced by those participating in this event is priceless."

The on-site Diabetes Community Forum at each Walk location will complement the walks as educational interactive events that engage families affected by diabetes. They will feature professional speakers and informative displays from ADA Recognized Programs and other community educational initiatives. The Diabetes Community Forum will target a wide audience that is eager to learn about the finest community services, and the newest products and technologies available to them in today's market.

The Diabetes Community Forum is open to all members of the community at no cost courtesy of Presenting NJ Diabetes Community Forum sponsor, BD (Becton Dickinson & Company). "Diabetes education is an integral component of quality diabetes care and BD is proud to support this at the ADA walks throughout New Jersey," said BD's Bob Singley, VP Worldwide Marketing Diabetes Care.

Local and regional sponsors lending their support to America's Walk for Diabetes in New Jersey, besides Novo Nordisk and BD, include Cardinal Health, Affinity Federal Credit Union, Enterprise Car Rental, Ortho-McNeil, Siemens Financial Services, King Pharmaceuticals, MannKind Corporation, The Princeton Packet, Schering-Plough, HealthLogix, and University Medical Center at Princeton.

Equal Sweetener is the national presenting sponsor for America's Walk for Diabetes. Other national corporate sponsors include Cary's Sugar Free Syrup, Fiber One Bran Cereal, Kraft Diabetic Choices, and Diet Rite Pure Zero. People magazine is the event's national media sponsor.

To register or volunteer for America's Walk for Diabetes events, call 732-469-7979 Ext. 3512 or visit diabetes.org/walk

The American Diabetes Association is the nation's premier voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information and advocacy. The ADA's mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information, call the ADA at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383), or visit http://www.diabetes.org/. Information from both of these sources is available in English and Spanish. To contact the northern New Jersey ADA office, call 732-469-7979.

American Diabetes Association

CONTACT: Media, Rodger Gottlieb of RLG Associates, +1-609-484-0750,rodgergottlieb@yahoo.com; or Tom Fogg of American Diabetes Association,+1-732-469-7979 ext. 3512

Web site: http://www.diabetes.org/http://diabetes.org/walk

Source: PRNewswire

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