PRINCETON, N.J., June 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care, today announced that the Changing Diabetes(R) Bus World Tour and Village is stopping in San Francisco this week as part of a unique around-the-world tour to raise awareness of diabetes prevention and control.
The arrival of the 59-foot, interactive mobile showroom and 20,000-square foot village, at San Francisco's Pier 39, East Park, June 6 - June 8, coincides with the American Diabetes Association's annual meeting taking place at the San Francisco Moscone Center. The bus stopped in New York last November to commemorate the first United Nations-sanctioned World Diabetes Day and has since made several additional stops on its way to San Francisco.
The tour has taken the bus through Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North America to drive awareness of the need for improved diabetes prevention, diagnosis and control as well as better education. Since its 2006 launch in Copenhagen, Denmark, the bus has logged more than 27,000 miles and been visited by more than 100,000 people.
In San Francisco, Drew Lachey, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" champion and host of "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann," will kick off the official ceremony on June 7. At 11 a.m., Lachey will announce the winners of a national "Dancin' to Change Diabetes" online video contest designed to encourage dancing as a healthy exercise, which can help prevent or control diabetes.
"Incorporating fitness into your daily routine is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle," said Lachey, who has several family members with diabetes. "I've partnered with Novo Nordisk to encourage Americans to get up, get moving and change the course of diabetes. Something as simple as turning on some music and dancing may help turn the tide of this disease."
The Changing Diabetes(R) Bus is filled with interactive, multimedia exhibits where visitors can learn about diabetes. The public can share their opinions about what they would change in the area of diabetes and view testimonials from people across the globe who have visited the bus.
Surrounding the bus is the custom-built Changing Diabetes(R) Village, a park of nearly 20,000 square feet that offers complementary health screenings, free healthy refreshments, fitness instruction from local fitness guru and radio host, Joanie Greggains, and an area with activities for children. Visitors of all ages can participate in interactive games that get people moving including Dance Dance Revolution, Wii Tennis and Boogie Bodies.
Diabetes affects nearly 21 million Americans in the United States and nearly 246 million people worldwide.(1,2) Research shows that two out of three people diagnosed with diabetes are not managing their chronic condition, putting them at an alarming risk of serious complications. (3)
"California has the highest number of people living with diabetes of any state in the country, according to research from the University of California," said Dr. Alan C. Moses, VP, Global Chief Medical Officer for Novo Nordisk. "Novo Nordisk is working to improve the way people live with the diabetes in California and throughout the world through initiatives like the Changing Diabetes(R) Bus and the National Changing Diabetes(R) Program, which just announced a goal to have 45% of Americans who are at-risk for type 2 diabetes to know their blood glucose level and what actions to take by the year 2015."
About "Dancin' to Change Diabetes"
Drew Lachey teamed up with Novo Nordisk to promote "Dancin' to Change Diabetes," the first national online video contest aimed at increasing diabetes awareness. The contest invited people to create videos of the dance moves that help them stay active and healthy. Participants were asked to submit an old video or create a new one by picking out their favorite tune and showing off the dancing that keeps them fit. For the past week, the public has been voting to select their favorite dance video. Lachey will announce the winner in San Francisco. To view the online videos, please visit: www.dancingtochangediabetes.com .
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, 31-year-old Lachey is a former 98 Degrees pop singer and winner in 2006 of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." In addition to taking the top spot on "Dancing," Lachey won a Teen Choice award for Choice Reality Star that same year.
In 2007, he served as co-host of the fifth season of "Dancing with the Stars" and in 2008, hosted "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann," a live, one-hour series that featured teams created by "Dancing with the Stars" judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli battling it out on the dance floor.
Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company with an 85-year history of innovation and achievement in diabetes care. The company has the broadest diabetes product portfolio in the industry, including the most advanced products within the area of insulin delivery systems. In addition to diabetes care, Novo Nordisk has a leading position within areas such as hemostasis management, growth hormone therapy, and hormone therapy for women. Novo Nordisk's business is driven by the Triple Bottom Line: a commitment to economic success, environmental soundness, and social responsibility to employees and customers. With headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs more than 26,000 employees in 80 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 under the symbol 'NVO'. For global information, visit novonordisk.com; for United States information, visit www.novonordisk-us.com .
For more information about the Changing Diabetes(R) Bus, please visit: www.changingdiabetes-us.com .
SOURCE Novo Nordisk
