Novo Nordisk Announces Resources to Help Support Kids with Diabetes Attending Summer Camp

ORLANDO, Fla., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care, and Indy Lights race car driver Charlie Kimball today announced the availability of a wide array of resources to help kids with diabetes have a positive and rewarding summer camp experience.  Kimball, who has type 1 diabetes, will hand out one of these resources today to attendees at the Children with Diabetes Friends for Life Conference in Orlando this week – the NovoLog® (insulin aspart (rDNA origin) injection) "Camp in a Kit."

The Kits, which come as a backpack filled with camp essentials such as a sleeping bag, fan, flashlight and a calculator, will be available to order from select physicians' offices* for free to kids attending diabetes camps nationwide. They are just one of the programs Novo Nordisk is offering to help campers and parents feel better prepared for their time at summer camp, which for many is also the first time kids will manage their diabetes independently.

"Novo Nordisk understands the vital role that diabetes camps play in helping children independently manage the condition and in changing the ways diabetes is viewed," said Camille Lee, Vice President, Diabetes Marketing. "Because camp is such an important step toward independence, Novo Nordisk has made supporting diabetes camps, campers and their families a priority by providing grants, resources and employee volunteer time with the goal of making camp a positive and rewarding experience for children and their families."

There are more than 185 diabetes camps across North America and each year more than 3,000 children attend.(i) Novo Nordisk has provided more than $300,000 to help camps provide financial assistance programs to campers and improve camp facilities in the past 2 years. The company is also donating NovoLog® insulin to camps as supplemental supply for campers in need.  

"Since being diagnosed with diabetes, I've learned how to manage my condition so that I can still live my dream of being a professional race car driver," said Kimball, who has partnered with Novo Nordisk since 2009. "With support and preparation, kids with diabetes can have the same fun and rewarding camp experience as other children." Kimball was diagnosed in 2007 and takes NovoLog® at meal time to help manage his diabetes.

With the belief that support and disease education is essential to managing diabetes, Novo Nordisk also created the I Can Do More camp program, which makes learning about diabetes fun and rewarding while empowering children to seek support when they need it. The I Can Do More program is distributed to camps participating in the Diabetes Education and Camping Association (DECA). So that each child has a chance to learn about diabetes, Novo Nordisk also offers the NovoLog® Pediatric Care Kit with fun educational tools like 3-D diabetes animation and games and quizzes, as well as prescription savings cards that give patients a discount on their prescriptions for NovoLog® FlexPen® (both available through select physicians' offices).

Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease in which the body does not produce insulin and requires close blood sugar monitoring, often develops in children, adolescents and young adults. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of Americans diagnosed with diabetes have type 1.(ii)

Diabetes camps are designed to meet the needs of kids and teenagers who are learning to independently manage their diabetes. Children also benefit from being in a place where having diabetes is the norm and building strong relationships with other kids.(iii)  

"Summer camp presents unique challenges for kids with diabetes, so a little extra support helps them and their parents feel confident in being away from home," said Laura Billetdeaux, Vice President of Education and Programs at Children with Diabetes. "We are thrilled that Charlie will be introducing the Camp in a Kit and getting kids excited for summer camp. He's a wonderful role model, and being able to meet with him and hear his story is incredibly inspiring."

For updates from Charlie Kimball at Friends for Life, as well as information on his events throughout the year, follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/racewithinsulin and visit www.WhereHaveYouFlexed.com.

* To receive the free NovoLog® Camp in a Kit, patients can request a business reply card from their physician's office. After filling out and returning the card to the address indicated, the Kit will be mailed directly to each patient's home.

About NovoLog®

NovoLog® (insulin aspart [rDNA origin] injection) is a man-made insulin that is used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with diabetes mellitus.

Important Safety Information for NovoLog®

Do not take NovoLog® if your blood sugar is too low (hypoglycemia) or if you are allergic to anything in NovoLog®. If you take too much NovoLog® your blood sugar may fall too low.

NovoLog® is a fast-acting insulin. You should eat a meal within 5 to 10 minutes after using NovoLog® to avoid low blood sugar. Do not inject NovoLog® if you do not plan to eat right after using NovoLog®. Check your blood sugar levels. Ask your health care provider what your blood sugars should be and when you should check your blood sugar levels. Alcohol, including beer and wine, may affect your blood sugar when you take NovoLog®.

Do not change the type of insulin you use unless told to do so by your health care provider. The amount of insulin you take as well as the best time for you to take your insulin may need to change if you take a different type of insulin.

Do not mix NovoLog® with any other insulins when used in a pump or with any insulins other than NPH when used with injections by syringe.

Needles and NovoLog® FlexPen® must not be shared.

Tell your health care provider about all medicines you take and all of your medical conditions, including if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Your NovoLog® dose may change if you take other medicines.

NovoLog® has not been studied in children with type 2 diabetes or in children with type 1 diabetes under the age of two.

The most common side effect of NovoLog® is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Other possible side effects include reactions at the injection site (like redness, swelling and itching), and allergic reactions. Get medical help right away if you experience signs of serious allergic reaction such as body rash, trouble with your breathing, fast heartbeat, or sweating. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for further information.

For NovoLog prescribing information, please go to http://novolog.com/.

NovoLog® is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S.

About Children with Diabetes

The mission of Children with Diabetes, Inc. is to promote understanding of the care and treatment of diabetes, especially in children; to increase awareness of the need for unrestricted diabetes care for children at school and daycare; to support families living with diabetes; and to promote understanding of research into a cure.

Children with Diabetes, Inc. (CWD) operates one of the most established, well-trafficked online diabetes communities through www.childrenwithdiabetes.com (online since 1995), promotes the Quilt for Life diabetes awareness project, and hosts Friends for Life conferences to provide education and support for children with diabetes and their families. The inspiration for CWD was personal for founder and president, Jeff Hitchcock; his daughter Marissa was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of two. Jeff's focus was to make a difference in the life of his daughter, and by extension, in the lives of all of the daughters and sons living with diabetes.

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 87 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within hemophilia care, 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. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs more than 29,000 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 (NVO). For more information, visit novonordisk-us.com.

(i) http://www.diabetescamps.org/

(ii) JDRF. Two Types of Diabetes. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Kids Online Web site. http://kids.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=4C3F66A1-5004-D739-A5DAF476C4930A5B

(iii) American Diabetes Association (2004). Diabetes Care at Diabetes Camps. Diabetes Care, 27, S129 – S131

SOURCE Novo Nordisk