Novo Nordisk Community Care Supports Seattle Nonprofit Organizations in Fight Against Diabetes

SEATTLE, Dec. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Nordisk announced it joined forces with four Seattle nonprofit organizations to help stem the tide of type 2 diabetes at the local level and help support programs that will educate and empower local residents to better manage their diabetes. All four organizations support the well-being of patients in the Seattle community and provide overall health-related guidance and resources through their cutting-edge programs.

• Center for MultiCultural Health, a local center focused on promoting the health and well-being of diverse communities, will launch their new "Let's Talk About It: A Conversation About Diabetes Among African Americans" program, which includes a digital stories series and a corresponding discussion guide
              
• EvergreenHealth Foundation, which supports the EvergreenHealth community health system, will implement two 9-week lifestyle change programs titled "Kickstarter 9 to Health," which will integrate lifestyle changes, healthy eating and nutrition changes to empower patients living with type 2 diabetes to attain lasting, meaningful change. The programs will each culminate with a 5K community walk
                
• Senior Services, a volunteer-supported agency committed to providing vital assistance to older adults in Seattle and King County, will train Sea Mar Community Medical Clinic healthcare providers in diabetes education to provide on-site health promotion and disease management services to Hispanic and Latino elders with type 2 diabetes in the community
                
• University of Washington Foundation, which aims to advance the mission of the University of Washington, will launch a new program that will help patients from Harborview Medical Center with self-management and type 2 diabetes education after they've been discharged from the Center

All four local organizations' programs were selected as part of the Novo Nordisk Community Care initiative, which provides funding to nonprofit organizations across the country to support educational programs that empower people living with type 2 diabetes to take control of their health and, ultimately, help prevent long-term complications. The groups were selected because their proposed programs are sustainable, impactful and educational, and took an innovative approach to addressing type 2 diabetes.

"Diabetes has become a national health crisis and is taking a major toll on local communities, including Seattle" said Diana Blankman, Senior Director, U.S. Corporate Giving and Social Impact at Novo Nordisk. "In Washington State, approximately 1.7 million people are in danger of developing diabetes by 2015. Novo Nordisk recognizes the critical role these local organizations play in addressing the health crisis and are committed to helping them address this crisis on the local level."

According to data commissioned by Novo Nordisk from the Institute of Alternative Futures, by 2015 Washington is estimated to have approximately 678,000 people with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes. This could result in a total of $6.5 billion in total medical and indirect societal costs of diabetes for the state of Washington by 2015.

In addition to Seattle, Novo Nordisk is awarding Community Care sponsorships to nonprofit groups in Portland, Oregon, and Rochester, Minnesota, where diabetes is a heavy burden on the communities. Since the inception of the Community Care program in 2011, Novo Nordisk has supported nearly 40 local diabetes nonprofit organizations in 11 local communities that are making an impact on type 2 diabetes.  For more information about the program, visit www.novonordisk-us.com/communitycare.

About Novo Nordisk

Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk is a global health care company with 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within hemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone therapy. For more information, visit novonordisk-us.com or follow US activities on Twitter at @novonordiskus.

SOURCE Novo Nordisk