On the eve of American Diabetes Month® and World Diabetes Day in November, Lilly Diabetes and the American Diabetes Association have announced a multi-year renewal of their successful Drive to Stop DiabetesSMNASCAR program with Roush Fenway Racing and NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) driver Ryan Reed.
“I am very excited for the opportunity to move forward and expand the program,” said Reed, who at the age of 17 was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. “As someone who was diagnosed and told that my dream of being a professional driver was over, I personally understand the importance of education and awareness as well as tapping into resources to manage my diabetes. With so many people living with or at risk for diabetes, it is so important that we continue to educate people about how to get out ahead of it and live with this disease.”
Over the past nine months, the Drive to Stop Diabetes platform has utilized a multi-faceted approach to reach children, parents and at-risk adults of all ages to bring education and awareness to diabetes. Through the program, Reed has been able to educate, inspire and personally connect with thousands of children living with diabetes, while raising unprecedented awareness of the disease across the country.
The program has included visits to children’s hospitals and summer camps as well as holding a major presence at diabetes scientific conferences, designed to educate those dealing with and affected by diabetes. In addition, the Drive to Stop Diabetes team launched a dynamic social media campaign to regularly engage those in the diabetes community and hosts an at-track activation experience at selected races that features educational materials, games and prizes, while providing insight to fans as to how Reed manages his diabetes with a successful racing career.
“Millions of Americans are affected by diabetes and this program has gotten people talking and thinking about the disease,” said Mike Mason, vice president, U.S., Lilly Diabetes. “A major emphasis of our work is making life better for people with diabetes. It’s why Lilly Diabetes is proud to continue to support the American Diabetes Association and Drive to Stop Diabetes. We’ve been committed to this population for generations, starting with the introduction of the first commercial insulin in 1923, and are excited to continue to this important initiative to inspire and inform the millions of Americans affected by diabetes.”
“The inaugural year of the Drive to Stop Diabetes campaign has been a tremendous success for the Association, and we’re excited for what the future holds for this partnership moving into the second year,” said Suzanne Berry, interim chief executive officer, American Diabetes Association. “Ryan’s voice and passion for educating and inspiring all people who are affected by diabetes has accelerated the program beyond our expectations, and we remain a committed partner as together, we continue our ongoing efforts to Stop Diabetes.”
The partnership with Roush Fenway and Reed has served as the lynchpin to the Drive to Stop Diabetes platform that also saw Lilly Diabetes serve as the title sponsor of NASCAR race weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Drive to Stop Diabetes as the title sponsor of the Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this year.
“The Drive to Stop Diabetes platform has truly made a connection with people around the country to not only build awareness for, but more importantly call people to action around the issue of diabetes health management,” said Steve Newmark, president of Roush Fenway Racing. “Ryan is such an authentic ambassador for both Lilly Diabetes and the American Diabetes Association and we are proud that they have extended our partnership so we can continue to support their efforts.”
Reed is currently ninth in the NNS point standings, having scored finishes of 15th or better in 14 of his 29 starts during his rookie season, including a career-high fourth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway. Follow his exciting racing career on Facebook and Twitter at @driverRyanReed.
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