NFL Quarterback Jay Cutler to Help Families Affected by Diabetes by Joining Lilly's I

[cutlerfan]

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NFL Quarterback Jay Cutler to Help Families Affected by Diabetes by Joining Lilly's Inspired by Diabetes Campaign

Dever Broncos star to serve as U.S. ambassador for unique diabetes charity program


INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler is reaching out to help send children with diabetes to summer camps.


Cutler -- who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes last spring and established himself as one of the National Football League's (NFL) top young quarterbacks with a Pro Bowl season in 2008 -- will become an ambassador for Eli Lilly and Company's Inspired by Diabetes campaign, Lilly announced today. Lilly is a worldwide leader in diabetes research and treatment that introduced the world's first commercial insulin as a treatment for diabetes in 1923.


Cutler will kick off his involvement in the campaign with activities during Super Bowl week in Tampa, visiting Tampa Bay-area All Children's Hospital to meet with families of children with type 1 diabetes. His message: encouraging people affected by diabetes to enter the Inspired by Diabetes global contest and help someone else in the process.


Inspired by Diabetes (inspiredbydiabetes.com) is a unique philanthropic initiative that uses art to provide diabetes summer camp scholarships for kids in the United States. Globally, the program contributes to a program that provides care for children with diabetes in developing countries.


The campaign encourages all people touched by diabetes, particularly children and their families, to share their stories through visual and written creative expressions such as art, essays, poems or photography.


By entering the competition, participants can have a direct impact on the lives of children with diabetes around the world.


For each entry into the contest from the United States, Lilly will donate money to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), in Cutler's honor, for scholarships for children from lower-income families to attend ADA diabetes camps. The ADA is the largest provider of camps for children with diabetes in the world and is the U.S. national advocate for Inspired by Diabetes.


"Cutler's story is an inspiration to us all - his resilience has been remarkable since he was diagnosed with diabetes last year," said George Huntley, Chair of the Board, American Diabetes Association. "He has proven himself as a dedicated athlete, proactively managing his disease while building a successful career in the NFL. He is a role model to anyone who wants to follow their dreams. His work with Inspired by Diabetes can only encourage those affected by diabetes to share their creative expressions to show their support in the fight against diabetes."


The 2009 Inspired by Diabetes contest is underway and accepting entries until March 31. Anyone affected by either type 1 (formerly called juvenile diabetes) or type 2 (formerly called adult-onset diabetes) are encouraged to enter - people with the condition, their family members, friends or health care providers. The U.S. grand prize winners will win a trip to an Inspired by Diabetes celebration event at the ADA's annual meeting in June in New Orleans. Entry forms and complete contest rules and regulations can be downloaded from inspiredbydiabetes.com.


Inspired by Diabetes is also a global campaign, with more than 25 countries participating. For each entry from around the world, Lilly provides funds to support the care of children with diabetes in the developing world through the International Diabetes Federation's (IDF) Life for a Child Program, which provides access to diabetes care in some of the world's poorest countries.


After losing about 30 pounds during the course of the 2007 season, Cutler was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the spring of 2008 and since has made it his mission to demonstrate to children that they can still succeed with diabetes. Through the Jay Cutler Foundation, established after the 2007 season, Cutler works to help charities and organizations that have a profound effect on helping people in need.


"Diabetes is the toughest opponent I've ever faced, but I wasn't going to let it slow down my career. And kids don't have to let it stop them from reaching for the dreams," Cutler said. "I'm honored to join the Inspired by Diabetes campaign to help people tell their stories of dealing with diabetes -- and help kids who need it. This is a great way to reach people affected by this condition, and I'm looking forward to connecting with more families dealing with the ups and downs of this lifelong challenge."


In 2008, his second full season as the Broncos' starting quarterback, Cutler had a breakout year and was named to his first Pro Bowl. His 4,526 passing yards led the American Football Conference (AFC) and were third in the NFL, and his 25 touchdown passes were third-best in the AFC. A first-round draft pick from Vanderbilt University, Cutler became the Broncos' starter late in the 2006 season and was the first NFL rookie to throw at least two touchdowns in each of his first three starts. In total, he threw at least one touchdown in each of his first eight NFL starts.


Cutler is a native of Santa Claus, Ind., about a three-hour drive south of Lilly's Indianapolis headquarters, and won an Indiana high school state championship just a few blocks from the Lilly labs where insulin was first produced for mass patient use more than 85 years ago.


"It's always inspiring to hear stories of people living successfully with diabetes - but Jay is re-writing the diabetes record books by performing at such a high level at one of the most challenging jobs in sports," said Matt Beebe, insulin brand team leader, Lilly USA. "We know Jay has already been an inspiration to countless people affected by diabetes, and we're humbled that he has chosen Lilly and the Inspired by Diabetes campaign to continue spreading his unique message of hope. By driving awareness of the Inspired by Diabetes initiative, we look forward to working together to improve the future for children with diabetes in need."


For more information, please visit:

inspiredbydiabetes.com

jaycutler.org


About Inspired by Diabetes

Inspired by Diabetes is a global campaign asking people moved by the triumphs and challenges of those with diabetes and those who care for them to express their inspiration and share it with others around the world. The program is collaboration between global champions Eli Lilly and Company, the International Diabetes Federation's (IDF) Unite for Diabetes initiative and the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD). In the U.S., the American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the program's national advocate. For more information, visit www.inspiredbydiabetes.com


About Diabetes

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes affects nearly 24 million Americans; of that, nearly one-quarter, or nearly six million people, do not know they have the disease.(1) Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and costs approximately $174 billion per year in direct and indirect medical expenses.(1,2)


About Lilly Diabetes

For more than 85 years, Lilly has been a worldwide leader in pioneering industry-leading solutions to support people living with and treating diabetes. Lilly introduced the world's first commercial insulin in 1923, and remains at the forefront of medical and delivery device innovation to manage diabetes. Lilly is also committed to providing solutions beyond therapy -- practical tools, education and support programs to help overcome barriers to success along the diabetes journey. At Lilly, the journeys of each person living with or treating diabetes inspire ours. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com


About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers -- through medicines and information -- for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Information about Lilly is available at www.lilly.com.


(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National diabetes fact sheet: general information and national estimates on diabetes in the United States, 2007. Rev ed. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008

(2) American Diabetes Association. Direct and indirect costs of diabetes in the United States. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-sta...etes-in-us.jsp. Accessed January 16, 2009





SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company

[cutlerfan]

Jay has always been a class guy. Even here at Vandy! Proud of you Jay!

[Tombstone RJ]

Very cool Jay, keep up the good work.

[Kaylore]

That's cool.

[illbroncsfn]

nice to Jay giving back...

[tsiguy96]

Originally Posted by cutlerfan

Jay has always been a class guy. Even here at Vandy! Proud of you Jay!

awesome guy and better QB, but i gotta say....jay is kinda ugly.









and gets more ass then i ever will

[cutlerfan]

Originally Posted by tsiguy96

awesome guy and better QB, but i gotta say....jay is kinda ugly.









and gets more ass then i ever will

Do we want a model or a QB? Who cares what he looks like!

Yes, he does get more fine ass than you and me probably will in our lifetime.

[jhat01]

Good for him. Way to give a little back

[BroncoBuff]

Originally Posted by illbroncsfn

nice to Jay giving back...

Well, he's getting paid for it.

He'll be showing up in the same kinda commercials the late B.B. King once did.

[theAPAOps5]

Cutlerfan have you sent Jay a bill for the PR work you do for him? Just curious as you work too hard to do it for free!

[BroncoBuff]

Originally Posted by cutlerfan

SOURCE: Eli Lilly and Company

Dead giveaway ... nothing is free with Big Pharma.

COMMERCIAL SCRIPT:

JAY: "I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, and less that a year later I played in the NFL All-Star game!"

JIMMY: "Gosh, Mr. Cutler ... I have diabetes, could I play in the NFL too?"

JAY: "You sure can, Jimmy. As long as you use Eli Lilly's new Accu-Check diabetic blood testing strips!"

[Dagmar]

Originally Posted by ApaOps5

Cutlerfan have you sent Jay a bill for the PR work you do for him? Just curious as you work too hard to do it for free!

I was wondering that too!

[broncosteven]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

Dead giveaway ... nothing is free with Big Pharma.

COMMERCIAL SCRIPT:

JAY: "I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, and less that a year later I played in the NFL All-Star game!"

JIMMY: "Gosh, Mr. Cutler ... I have diabetes, could I play in the NFL too?"

JAY: "You sure can, Jimmy. As long as you use Eli Lilly's new Accu-Check diabetic blood testing strips!"

Where do I get my DIABETUS? I want to play in the NFL too!

[strafen]

Paid or not, it's a worthy cause...

[buffbronco]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

Well, he's getting paid for it.

He'll be showing up in the same kinda commercials the late B.B. King once did.

B.B. King is still alive

[OABB]

good for eli lilly. They sure put that whole "having 5 people commit suicide during clinical trials for cymbalta" thing behind them. awesome.

[ludo21]

if athletes were not forced to do these types of things I wonder how many actually would "give back".

[NUB]

Originally Posted by ludo21

if athletes were not forced to do these types of things I wonder how many actually would "give back".

I dunno. A lot of players don't "give back", and that's their choice. A lot of wealthy people sometimes just don't know what else to do with their position in society than to give back; some don't know what else to do than get more.

[Natedog24]

Did someone say...




Sorry, someone had to throw a Brimley reference in here somewhere...

[BroncoBuff]

Originally Posted by buffbronco

B.B. King is still alive

My bad ... I was thinking of Bo Diddley

[BroncoMan4ever]

Originally Posted by Natedog24

Did someone say...




Sorry, someone had to throw a Brimley reference in here somewhere...

agreed and here is my contibution

[BroncoBuff]

Thanks for all these Jay threads, cutlerfan ... they're very cool.

Sometime maybe start a thread and tell us a bit about Jay the person.