Finding a cure for her son with diabetes and her Online Auction for Diabetes Research are top priorities

HOLLYWOOD, Fla., May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Everyone thinks their mom is a "Super Mom," but some really do set themselves apart from the crowd.  Case in point, Brenda Novak is a mother of five, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, and she organizes her annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research, which takes place at BrendaNovak.com throughout the month of May in honor of Mother's Day and benefits the cure-focused work of the Diabetes Research Institute. What's more, her son, Thad, has type 1 diabetes – a relentless disease that affects the whole family and requires constant attention.

"If you're not close to someone with diabetes, you don't know how all-consuming this disease can be," said Novak.  "I feel like I don't really have the luxury of putting something off until tomorrow.  I want a cure for Thad now and for the millions of people living with diabetes."

Novak applies that drive to her unique online auction, which last year surpassed $1 million raised for diabetes research and attracted more than 5,000 bidders throughout the country and beyond.  Due to Novak's close connections in the literary world, the auction boasts an array of one-of-a-kind items, such as: royal afternoon tea for four with "Princess Diaries" author Meg Cabot in New York City's Plaza Hotel;  a Wi-Fi Amazon Kindle package from bestselling author Carly Phillips that includes an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of her book "Solidarity;" a week's stay at the beautiful guest house of Cherry Adair in Seattle; plus lunches with prominent authors Diana Gabaldon and Steve Berry, a stay at Nora Roberts' romantic inn and more.  

For those who are not aspiring writers or literary buffs, a plethora of popular items perfect for Mother's Day gifts and more include jewelry, iPads, world-class getaways, an $8,500 ring similar to the one Prince William gave Kate Middleton, and a VIP package to attend a taping of the smash television sitcom, "The Big Bang Theory."  The bidding starts at $2 for all items; participants can literally end up with bargains beyond their dreams!

"Each year, Brenda sets the bar higher and higher, and it's no surprise given her tremendous energy and dedication," said Robert A. Pearlman, president and CEO of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation. "With partners like Brenda, I have no doubt that we can achieve our goal to cure diabetes once and for all."

About Brenda Novak

Brenda Novak is the national bestselling author of 35 books with three more coming out this summer – Inside, In Seconds and In Close. Last summer's trilogy, White Heat, Body Heat and Killer Heat, continues to receive high praise from readers and reviewers alike. A busy wife and mother of five, Novak, who lives in Sacramento, CA, calls herself the typical "soccer mom," juggling her writing career with daily car pools, helping her kids do homework and driving them to sports practice.

About the Diabetes Research Institute

The mission of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation is to provide the Diabetes Research Institute with the funding necessary to cure diabetes now. The Diabetes Research Institute, a center of excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is a recognized world leader in cure-focused research. Since its inception in the early 1970s, the DRI has made significant contributions to the field of diabetes research, pioneering many of the techniques used in islet transplantation. The DRI is now building upon these achievements by bridging cell-based therapies with emerging technologies to restore insulin production. For the millions of families already affected by diabetes, the Diabetes Research Institute is the best hope for a cure.  For more information, call 1-800-321-3437 or visit DiabetesResearch.org.

SOURCE Diabetes Research Institute Foundation