Novo Nordisk Supports Three Houston-Based Organizations In Fight Against Diabetes

HOUSTON, Sept. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care, announced today that it has awarded $60,000 in sponsorships to three Houston community organizations. The Houston sponsorships are part of the nationwide Novo Nordisk Community Care initiative to help rally communities to address the diabetes crisis and support local programs designed to make an impact for people living with type 2 diabetes. According to data commissioned by Novo Nordisk from the Institute of Alternative Futures, as of 2010, Houston had 804,600 people with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes and an additional 1.5 million in danger of developing diabetes.

Novo Nordisk convened a panel of local diabetes experts and community leaders to help evaluate the many innovative programs that were presented for sponsorship. The panel comprised of Dr. Nicole Hare-Everline, Wellness Director for the City of Houston; Lourdes Cuellar, Director of Pharmacy at Memorial Hermann; Dr. Adlia Ebeid, Program Director at Texas Southern University Pharmacy School; Dr. Kevin McKinney, UTMB Professor of Internal Medicine, and Ralston Creswell, Senior Executive Director of ADA Houston. Programs that received funding were considered to be the most creative, impactful, and meaningful for the community and took an innovative approach to addressing the problem of type 2 diabetes.  

"We know from research that type 2 diabetes has far-reaching impact in our city and that local Houston organizations play a critical role in addressing the problem through programs that tap into understanding of the local population," said Dr. Nicole Hare-Everline. "By providing support to incubate innovative programs on a local level, Novo Nordisk is providing an important resource to help address the diabetes epidemic in Houston."

Organizations that received sponsorships target a range of diverse communities in Houston and include:

• Asian American Health Coalition (HOPE Clinic): The health clinic, located in southwest Houston, plans to partner with the University of Houston School of Pharmacy to conduct an educational program that reaches Asian Americans.
• Harris County Hospital District Foundation: With the sponsorship, they plan to lead a multidisciplinary nurse lead diabetes management program for patients with uncontrolled diabetes.
• Lighthouse of Houston: The organization plans to provide specialized education and diabetes self-management training to help reduce diabetes related complications.

"Novo Nordisk is proud to partner with each of these Houston organizations for their innovative approach to diabetes education in their local community," said Lori Moore, Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Novo Nordisk. "It is our hope that through Community Care, Novo Nordisk can help local organizations around the country develop impactful programs that will have a lasting effect on the epidemic of type 2 diabetes."

In 2011, Novo Nordisk Community Care sponsored more than 20 diverse community-based programs and awarded $415,000 to organizations in Atlanta, Minneapolis, Boston, and Philadelphia. In 2012, Novo Nordisk is also offering new sponsorship opportunities to eligible organizations in the San Francisco and Detroit metropolitan areas where diabetes is a heavy burden on the community. In these areas, the Novo Nordisk Community Care initiative aims to activate and enable organizations that are ambassadors for change in diabetes care and are making an impact in their local communities. For more information about Novo Nordisk Community Care, visit www.novonordisk-us.com/communitycare.

About Novo Nordisk

Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 89 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within hemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. For more information, visit novonordisk-us.com.

SOURCE Novo Nordisk