More than 200 Diabetes Advocates convene in Washington D.C. to advocate on the Hill for affordable insulin; other policy-driven diabetes issues

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Diabetes Advocates from around the country gathered in D.C. for the American Diabetes Association's Call to Congress, an annual gathering on Capitol Hill to educate members of Congress about the impacts of diabetes and advocate for key federal priorities. After a day of preparation and hearing from expert speakers, advocates went to the Hill to meet with members of Congress to lobby for legislative priorities like affordable and accessible insulin, funding for research and prevention, and diabetes self-management training (DSMT).

"Our efforts to address diabetes in the U.S. have typically focused on supporting community programs that promote fitness, nutrition and overall healthy living," said Tracy Hamill, M.D., medical director of Sun Life Financial U.S. "Now we have the opportunity to continue our efforts from a policy perspective, and I'm looking forward to continuing our work with the ADA's Call to Congress initiative to achieve legislative action for the diabetes community."

While access to affordable insulin has been a major focus, advocates also explained how Congressional support for research and programs can improve the quality of life for people living with diabetes.

"We are really fortunate to have the support of an incredible community of advocates who are so dedicated to ADA's mission and the power of advocacy through Call to Congress," said Tracey D. Brown, CEO of the American Diabetes Association. "With support from Sun Life, a company that has shown continued commitment to bending the curve on diabetes, we have been able to amplify our message to an even wider audience and empower our Diabetes Advocates to urge Congress to support our legislative goals."

Today, advocates departed with reinforced commitment to make diabetes a priority going forward, and received helpful guidance on continuing their advocacy efforts back home.

Sun Life U.S. is the exclusive supporter of ADA's 2019 Call to Congress and supports many causes and organizations that focus on diabetes prevention and awareness, including the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. Sun Life also awards grants to community organizations around the country who support programs for diabetes management, prevention, education and awareness through the Sun Life Team Up Against Diabetes grant program.

To learn more about ADA's advocacy efforts and to become a Diabetes Advocate, visit www.diabetes.org/advocacy.

To learn more about Sun Life's commitment to diabetes, visit www.sunlife.com/usdiabetes.

About Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individuals and corporate Clients. Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2018, Sun Life Financial had total assets under management of C$951 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

In the United States, Sun Life Financial is one of the largest group benefits providers, serving more than 60,000 employers in small, medium and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of insurance products and services in the U.S. includes disability, absence management, life, dental, vision, voluntary and medical stop-loss. Sun Life employs approximately 6,000 people in its U.S insurance and asset management businesses. Group Insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.) and Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us.

About the American Diabetes Association
Approximately every 21 seconds, someone in the United States is diagnosed with diabetes. Nearly half of the American adult population has diabetes or prediabetes, and more than 30 million adults and children are living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization on a mission to prevent and cure diabetes, as well as improve the lives of all people affected by the disease. For nearly 80 years, the ADA has driven discovery by funding research to treat, manage and prevent all types of diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. Magnifying the urgency of this epidemic, the ADA works to safeguard policies and programs that protect people with the illness, those at risk of developing diabetes and the health care professionals who serve them by initiating programs, advocacy and education efforts that can lead to improved health outcomes and quality of life. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit us at diabetes.org. Information is available in English and Spanish. Join the conversation with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).

Media contacts:

Devon Fernald
Sun Life Financial
781-800-3609
[email protected]

Sabrena Pringle
American Diabetes Association
703- 549-1500 ext. 1637
[email protected]

SOURCE Sun Life Financial