Novo Nordisk Awards More Than $300,000 in Grants to Support Education and Community Health Programs

PRINCETON, N.J., May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Novo Nordisk Inc., a world leader in diabetes care, is taking the lead to help improve education and community health in the Princeton area by awarding grants totaling more than $300,000 to local organizations.  The recipients are the Plainsboro Free Public Library Foundation, the Township of Plainsboro, Capital Health Foundation and Princeton Healthcare System Foundation.

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The grants will be used to fund various projects, including improvements to the new public library and community center in Plainsboro Township, the construction of two centers focusing on diabetes care at the new Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell and a family respite center inside the hospital surgery ward at the new University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro.

"Novo Nordisk is committed to improving wellness and education in communities where we live and work," said Jerzy Gruhn, president of Novo Nordisk Inc.  "These grants will help support the efforts of organizations who are serving our neighbors. As a part of our Triple Bottom Line philosophy, we are proud to provide support to community programs that encourage healthier living."

The Township of Plainsboro was awarded two grants to help fund improvements to public community centers.  One grant to the Plainsboro Free Public Library at Village Center helped fund the construction of the children's tower activity room in the new public library building.  The room sits below the library's tower and is specially outfitted to support a variety of programs for children.  A second grant will be used to fund renovations to the existing library to create a community recreation center, with a space specifically devoted to wellness activities such as aerobics, yoga and dance.

"We are grateful for the support that Novo Nordisk has provided to help us realize the construction of this very important part of our new library," said Peter Cantu, mayor of Plainsboro Township.  "The public library is a vital community center for Plainsboro and we are proud to provide a modern, inviting place where children can exercise their imagination freely."

A grant awarded to Capital Health Foundation will help fund the construction of two centers focusing on diabetes care at the new Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell.  The Novo Nordisk Seminar Room, located inside an outpatient care suite that includes Wound Care, Hyperbaric Medicine, and the Diabetes Self-Management Education Program.  In particular, the seminar room will be used by the Diabetes Self-Management Education Program for meetings, presentations and consultations specific to the services in that care suite to reach a greater number of people in the community.

The Novo Nordisk Diabetes Family Learning Center, across the main corridor from the Wound Care Center suite, will provide a range of multimedia equipment, computers, educational software, videos and printed materials that will allow patients and their families to select information specifically targeted to their individual needs.  The Learning Center will also provide an area for patient and family meetings and counseling as well as patient education sessions.  In addition, there will be a designated area for healthy snacks.

"We are thrilled that Novo Nordisk is choosing to partner with Capital Health and the Foundation in this manner," said Arline Stephan, executive director of Capital Health Foundation.  "The greater the resources for patient education and self-management of care, the more patients and families we can impact to lead healthier lives.  Novo Nordisk is helping us do just that by enhancing our capabilities in disease education and prevention, detection and treatment."

A grant awarded to Princeton Healthcare System Foundation will be used to establish a family respite area in the Surgical Center of Care at the new University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro, slated to open in December 2011.  The new hospital's Surgical Center of Care will be the site for surgery and cardiac care with access to endoscopy and imaging centers.  Located in the second floor west wing of the hospital tower, the family respite area will be a 300 square foot, comfortably furnished room where family and friends can wait while the patient is in surgery.

"Our partnership with Novo Nordisk inspires us to be our best.  They are a company with vision, passion and social responsibility.  They are focused on improving the daily lives of people and protecting the environment," said Barry S. Rabner, president and chief executive officer of Princeton HealthCare System.  "Princeton HealthCare System works everyday to define itself by the same values and appreciates Novo Nordisk's help in achieving them."

The grants to community organizations are part of Novo Nordisk's effort to support worthy programs as a good corporate neighbor in New Jersey.

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 29,300 employees in 76 countries, and markets its products in 179 countries.  Novo Nordisk's B shares are listed on the stock exchange in Copenhagen and its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NVO). For more information, visit novonordisk-us.com.

SOURCE Novo Nordisk Inc.