NFL Stars Don Customized Cleats to Raise Awareness for Type 1 Diabetes

NEW YORK, Dec. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JDRF, the leading global funder of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, is recognizing football stars showcasing their passion and creativity to bring awareness to type 1 diabetes (T1D) through the NFL's My Cause My Cleats (MCMC) campaign.

Launched in 2016, the NFL MCMC campaign has provided an enormous platform for active and former NFL players and NFL teams to raise awareness about the causes that are most important to them. The annual campaign kicked off on Giving Tuesday with unboxing day events featuring videos and images of the players' custom-designed cleats and the stories behind them. During week 13, players sport their cleats on the field, bringing the causes most dear to them to the forefront on game day.

This year, JDRF is honored to have the support of Blake Ferguson of the Miami Dolphins, Chad Muma of the Jacksonville Jaguars, DeAndre Carter of the Los Angeles Chargers, Kevin Rader of the Tennessee Titans, Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens, and ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. T1D impacts many players who support JDRF -- some live with the disease, and others raise awareness in support of loved ones who were diagnosed and the diabetes community.

T1D is a life-threatening autoimmune disease that affects adults and children regardless of age, family history, or lifestyle choices. People with T1D must inject or infuse insulin throughout the day and night to live. The disease impacts approximately 1.45 million people throughout the U.S. T1D is unpreventable, and there is currently no cure.

Since the inception of the MCMC campaign, several current and former players have selected JDRF as their charity, including David Carr, Keion Crossen, Henry Mondeaux, Jaelan Phillips, and Nathan Peterman, to name a few. 

For more information about T1D, visit JDRF.org.

JDRF's mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.5 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally and globally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a global stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our five international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement, and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter (@JDRF), Facebook (@myjdrf), and Instagram (@jdrfhq).

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, and—at present—nothing you can do to get rid of it.

SOURCE JDRF