Life with Type 1 Diabetes Made a Little Easier through Lilly Diabetes Scholarship Donations for Camps, College and Conferences

INDIANAPOLIS, ARLINGTON, Va. and ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., April 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Living with type 1 diabetes comes with many unique challenges in all stages of life. For parents of children with the condition, financial, medical and emotional worries can be overwhelming. To help support people with diabetes and those who love them, Lilly Diabetes today announced it will donate $94,000 to the American Diabetes Association (Association) Campership program and $100,000 to the Diabetes Scholars Foundation (Foundation).

Both donations are part of Lilly’s longstanding commitment to give people with diabetes access to education, community and inspiration.

Diabetes Camps Make a Difference

The Association conducts nearly 70 camp sessions annually throughout the U.S. to help children with type 1 diabetes develop skills to independently manage their diabetes through traditional camp activities, medical support and fun. Attending camp can instill confidence and help children understand they are not alone. In fact, a three-year survey conducted by the Association found that attending camp increased confidence and lowered diabetes-related stress in some campers.¹

Lilly Diabetes’ $94,000 donation goes directly to the Association’s Campership program, which awards scholarships based on financial need. The amount represents $1,000 for each year Lilly has supported those living with diabetes since introducing the world’s first commercial insulin in 1923. Lilly Diabetes is the largest supporter of diabetes camps in the U.S., donating $716,000 since 2008. The company also provides volunteers, diabetes medicines, educational materials for campers and caregivers and motivational speaker visits from well-known athletes and musicians, including Nashville recording artist, Crystal Bowersox.

“Camps are a unique experience for children and families to develop the skills and confidence needed to thrive while managing this disease,” said Tamara Darsow, PhD, senior vice president, research and programs, American Diabetes Association. “We are committed to ensuring that finances are never a barrier to attending camp, and Lilly’s support is critical to keeping that promise.”

Easing the Transition to College

The transition from home to college can be stressful for any teen, especially those with type 1 diabetes. Balancing classes, assignments and campus activities while managing diabetes every day is a unique challenge. Lilly helps ease the financial burden by donating scholarship funds to the Diabetes Scholars Foundation to help these young adults pursue their dreams.

For the fifth consecutive year, Lilly will donate $100,000 to support the Lilly’s Tomorrow’s Leaders Scholarship. The award recognizes high school seniors who will be attending college the following year, and who are active in the diabetes community, perform at a high academic level, participate in community and/or extracurricular activities and successfully manage life with diabetes.

Since 2012, Lilly has awarded 84 scholarships, with 57 percent of recipients attending a top-50 academically ranked college or university.

“Attending college is a major milestone for those with type 1 diabetes, and we understand the journey for them can be extra demanding,” said Mary Podjasek, president, Diabetes Scholars Foundation. “Lilly shares our goal to help these young adults thrive and we are grateful they support our mission to help make college attainable for standout students with type 1 diabetes.”

Support for Families and Children with Type 1 Diabetes

Beyond camp and college, a supportive community can have a powerful impact on families with children with type 1 diabetes. Lilly Diabetes designates a portion of its $100,000 Foundation donation to help families attend the Children with Diabetes^® Friends for Life^® (FFL) conference, an annual gathering of clinicians, researchers, physicians and families with diabetes, held in Orlando. Funding from Lilly Diabetes has helped 50 families attend FFL since 2012.

“Lilly Diabetes’ mission is to support the needs of people with type 1 diabetes as they move through all stages of life,” said Jaqueline Giovanoni, global director, advocacy and professional relations, Lilly Diabetes. “We are proud of our ongoing collaboration with these two important organizations that work tirelessly to support families and children with type 1 diabetes.”

Apply for a Scholarship

For more on Association camps and how to apply for a scholarship, visit: www.diabetes.org/camp.

Foundation college scholarship applications are due April 15, 2017. Applicants must be U.S. high school seniors with type 1 diabetes and seeking higher education at an accredited four-year university, college or technical or trade school.

Foundation FFL conference scholarship applications are due April 15, 2017. Scholarships are awarded to U.S. families with at least one child, infant to age 18, who has type 1 diabetes.

About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes^® and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information, please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.

About the Diabetes Scholars Foundation
In 2004, a group of parents who have children with type 1 diabetes created the Diabetes Scholars Foundation. Their goal was to empower people living with type 1 diabetes through education. Headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Ill., it is the only foundation that funds college scholarships open to all students in the United States with type 1 diabetes. In the past seven years, the Foundation has awarded almost $900,000 in college scholarships and has helped almost 3,000 people attend the annual Children with Diabetes® Friends for Life® conference in Orlando, Fla. In 2016, the Foundation received 2,600 college scholarship applications from 50 states. Information about the Foundation is available at www.diabetesscholars.org.

About Lilly Diabetes
Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world’s first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a broad and growing product portfolio and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines to support programs and more—we strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes.

About Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY)
Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com.

PP-LD-US-1041 04/2017 ©Lilly USA, LLC 2017. All rights reserved.

¹  American Diabetes Association. Camps Make a Difference! Available at http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/diabetes-camp/camps-make-difference.html. Accessed on January 6, 2017.

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company