With support from Roche Diabetes Care five grassroots initiatives in the US and two international projects will receive up to US$100,000 in funding

Diabetes Hands Foundation will award up to US$100,000 in Big Blue Test grants aimed at providing lifesaving supplies, medical tests, treatment, and patient education to people who have or at risk of having diabetes and are living in need.

Five US-based initiatives are each eligible to receive US$10,000 in funding, with the remaining US$50,000 being supporting projects in Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. These grants are made possible by Roche Diabetes Care, makers of ACCU-CHEK® products and services, through its ongoing sponsorship of the Big Blue Test.

Diabetes Hands Foundation is partnering with recognized NGOs to bring Big Blue Test Grant funding to our international projects:
* Fundación Aprendiendo a Vivir in Dominican Republic; and Fundación Diabetes Juvenil Ecuador in Ecuador, through American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad, Inc. (AYUDA)
* Fondation Haitienne de Diabète et de Maladies Cardio-Vasculaires (FHADIMAC) in Haiti, through World Diabetes Foundation

Additionally, the following US-based projects are eligible for funding, each aimed at providing people touched by diabetes who are in need with lifesaving supplies, medical tests, treatment, and/or patient education,:
* Auxanomen Health Clinic at Parker Lane United Methodist Church in Austin, TX
* American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad, Inc. (AYUDA) for its work with the Pascua Yaqui tribe in Pima County, AZ
* DASH (Diabetes and Sports Health) Camps / LIFT-Levantaté  in Oakland, CA
* Insulin for Life USA in Gainesville, FL
* University of Colorado, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Aurora, CO

“The funds from the Big Blue Test will save the lives of thousands of people with diabetes in need,” said Manny Hernandez, president of the Diabetes Hands Foundation. “Through this program, people with diabetes help themselves and help others.”

“Once again, the ACCU-CHEK brand is proud to support the Big Blue Test and its goal of helping people with diabetes better understand what affects their numbers,” said Marc Gibeley, Head of Roche Diabetes Care North America.  “During the past two years, Roche has also helped thousands of people in the U.S. and around the world receive lifesaving diabetes supplies through this program.  It’s an honor to be part of it again in 2012.”

During the month leading up to World Diabetes Day (November 14^th) people are invited to participate by checking-in at www.BigBlueTest.org. Participants are asked to test their blood glucose, exercise for 14-20 minutes, test again, and share the experience at www.BigBlueTest.org. Each entry translates into funding from sponsor Roche Diabetes Care for the Big Blue Test Grants.

 “We expect the Big Blue Test to be bigger than ever in 2012,” continued Mr. Hernandez. “Our goal is to have 20,000 entries recorded at www.BigBlueTest.org, which will translate into $100,000 in funding for these worthy groups from the program sponsor, Roche Diabetes Care.”

 

Complete list of the US$10,000 grant recipients in the US

Auxanomen Health Clinic at Parker Lane United Methodist Church (Austin, TX)
www.auxanomen.org; CONTACT: sdubois@mail.nur.utexas.edu
Auxanomen Health Clinic serves primarily people who are diabetic or pre-diabetic  and do not have access to other health care. The Big Blue Test Grant funding will be used by Auxanomen Health Clinic to extent the hours of its one paid professional at the clinic, a registered nurse. Endocrinology and other services are donated by the providers and the front office is staffed by volunteers. By adding one more day to the nurse’s schedule, the clinic will be able to add 400 more patient visits per year.

American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad, Inc (AYUDA) / Pascua Yaqui tribe in Pima County, AZ
www.ayudainc.net; CONTACT:  jstout@ayudainc.net
The Big Blue Test Grant will fund a small pilot program to sponsor diabetes outreach activities led by AYUDA volunteer James Stout. James is a young semi-pro cyclist living with type 1 diabetes. He will use his experience volunterring with AYUDA in the Dominican Republic and his cycling networks to further empower the Pascua Yaqui tribe in Pima County Arizona. This pilot program will include education-based activities related to diabetes, nutrition, and the benefits of exercise. A pilot group of 25 tribal members who live with or are at risk for diabetes will train and be mentored over a 12-month period and then participate in the El tour de Tucson organized bikeriding event in 2013.

DASH (Diabetes and Sports Health) Camps / LIFT-Levantaté (Oakland, CA)
www.dashcamp.org; www.lift-levantate.org; CONTACT: lucas@dashcamp.org
DASH Camp is for youth (diabetic, pre-diabetic and not) to play sports in team environments taught by college and professional athletes who have diabetes. Our goal is to empower youth who have diabetes to be athletes and teach other youth about the daily toils that we diabetics have to go through and conquer in order just to play some ball. The Big Blue Test Grant will fund two free camps and a Community Health Fare organized by the DASH Campers and Staff.

Insulin for Life USA (Gainesville, FL)
www.insulinforlifeusa.org; CONTACT:  atkinson@ufl.edu
Insulin for Life USA provides diabetes supplies, including insulin, to those in need in times of natural disasters when access to these life-saving products can be problematic. The Big Blue Test grant funds will be utilized to support the following organizational targets for Insulin for Life USA: (1) Developing a store of supplies for projected delivery to the site of a disaster that could be delivered on an as needed basis; and (2)Providing for the physical infrastructure to deliver these much needed supplies.

 

 

University of Colorado – Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (Aurora, CO)
www.ucdenver.edu; CONTACT:  wesley.nuffer@ucdenver.edu

The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) has developed a network of 11 pharmacy student-run diabetes management clinics across the State of Colorado. Almost 2000 patients were served in these clinics last year alone. The Big Blue Test Grant will pay for patient testing supplies at these sites, utilizing point of care lipid panels and A1c readings.

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About the Diabetes Hands Foundation (www.DiabetesHandsFoundation.org):  

We, at the Diabetes Hands Foundation believe that no one touched by diabetes should ever feel alone, because together we become stronger and have the power to generate positive change in ourselves and our community. Instead of looking at the disease, Diabetes Hands Foundation seeks to understand, connect and energize the millions of people living with this condition.

The Big Blue Test is a program of the Diabetes Hands Foundation that encourages people with diabetes to stay active. We invite people to test their blood glucose, exercise 14-20 minutes, test their BG again, and share the experience at www.BigBlueTest.org. Most participants experience an average drop in BG of 20%, and each entry translates into a matching donation for lifesaving supplies, medical tests, treatment, and/or patient education through Big Blue Test grants.

About Roche Diabetes Care (accu-chek.com)
Roche Diabetes Care is a pioneer in the development of blood glucose monitoring systems and a global leader for diabetes management systems and services. For more than 30 years, Roche has been committed to helping people with diabetes live lives that are as normal and active as possible and has been helping healthcare professionals manage their patients’ condition in an optimal way. Today, the ACCU-CHEK portfolio offers people with diabetes and healthcare professionals innovative products, services and comprehensive solutions for convenient, efficient and effective diabetes management—from blood glucose monitoring through information management to insulin delivery. The ACCU-CHEK brand encompasses blood glucose meters, infusion pumps, lancing and data management systems. For more information, please visitaccu-chek.com.