Academy Award® Winner Olympia Dukakis and Husband, Actor Louis Zorich, Take Center Stage on Interactive Diabetes Website and Facebook Page

PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Nordisk today unveiled new interactive features on its website, AskScreenKnow.com, to enhance the experience for visitors and offer additional useful information and resources on diabetes - a serious health condition that can be prevented or delayed with early detection and treatment.  Ask.Screen.Know. was launched in May 2009 to urge at-risk adults 65 and older to get screened for diabetes, as part of their Medicare benefits.

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Academy Award® winner Olympia Dukakis and her husband, actor Louis Zorich, who has diabetes, joined the cause to help increase awareness about this free diabetes screening benefit, share their story and provide encouragement.  Olympia and Louis are also featured in the new Ask.Screen.Know. Facebook page.

"We asked, we screened and now we know what steps to take to better manage our health," said Olympia Dukakis.  "We still like to eat our favorite foods – like pasta and Greek food – we just make sure that we eat them in more healthy ways."

Visitors can now get involved through various interactive features on the site.  For example, they can:  

• Take a diabetes risk assessment
• Check out healthy recipes from Olympia's kitchen
• Show support for Ask.Screen.Know. by making a promise to get screened
• Send a fun personalized e-card from Olympia to remind someone to get tested for diabetes

"Take the time to visit AskScreenKnow.com for more information.  It's really important to learn the facts," encouraged Louis Zorich. "And, get this… you can even send someone you know a voicemail from Olympia to tell them about the free Medicare diabetes screening.  What a fun way to spread the word."

About Olympia Dukakis and Louis Zorich

Olympia Dukakis and Louis Zorich have been married since 1962 and are both accomplished stage, film and television actors.  Olympia is an Academy Award® winner for her role in Moonstruck and Louis is well known for his role as Burt Buchman in the 1990's situation comedy Mad About You.

About Diabetes

Diabetes is an epidemic, and older adults are particularly at risk.  Approximately seven out of 10 adults age 65 and older have diabetes or pre-diabetes; and of those people with diabetes, almost half don't know it.  The risk of type 2 diabetes increases as you get older often because people tend to exercise less, lose muscle mass and gain weight as they age.  If left unmanaged, diabetes can lead to severe health complications, including blindness, kidney disease, foot amputations, heart disease and stroke.  However, with early detection and treatment, the serious health consequences of diabetes can be prevented or delayed.

About Medicare Diabetes Screening Benefit

Since 2005, Medicare has offered free diabetes screening services to those at-risk for diabetes; however, utilization has been low and many older adults are undiagnosed.  Medicare offers free diabetes screening for enrolled adults 65 and older, who have at least one-risk factor for diabetes, including having: a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, history of diabetes during pregnancy (women) and being obese or overweight . There is no co-payment or deductible for adults age 65 and older in Medicare who are eligible – the screening is simple and free to the patient.

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company with an 87-year history of innovation and achievement in diabetes care. The company has the broadest diabetes product portfolio in the industry, including the most advanced products within the area of insulin delivery systems. In addition to diabetes care, Novo Nordisk has a leading position within areas such as hemostasis management, growth hormone therapy, and hormone therapy for women. Novo Nordisk's business is driven by the Triple Bottom Line: a commitment to social responsibility to employees and customers, environmental soundness and economic success.  With headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs more than 27,000 employees in 81 countries, and markets its products in 179 countries. Novo Nordisk's B shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen and London. Its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol 'NVO'. For global information, visit http://www.novonordisk.com; for United States information, visit http://www.novonordisk-us.com.

SOURCE Novo Nordisk