Be sure to mark Saturday, October 4, 2008, on your calendar. Round up your colleagues, patients, family, and friends; grab your walking shoes; and head for the Philadelphia Museum of Art to take part in Step OutSM: Walk to Fight Diabetes, the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) new, family-friendly 5K fundraising walk.
IBC is pleased to be the presenting sponsor for Step Out. This event is an opportunity to combine the benefits of walking with a chance to make a difference in the fight against diabetes — the seventh leading cause of death by disease in the United States. Diabetes is also taking a devastating toll on our region, with about 11 percent of area residents having diabetes, nearly three percent higher than the national average. If current health trends continue, one in three Americans born today will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime.
We would appreciate your help in spreading the word about Step Out. We invite you to participate by forming a corporate team or serving as team captain or team champion for your hospital or office. And, of course, you can also join the walk as an individual participant. Even if you are unable to walk in Step Out, you can still help by encouraging your patients to join the walk and participate in the fight against diabetes.
Our sponsorship of Step Out, in addition to the diabetes education and support we offer our members through the ConnectionsSM Health Management Program, is another demonstration of how we are here for you and our members every step of the way. By raising awareness of diabetes and helping to raise diabetes research funds, together we can strive towards eradicating diabetes. The 5K walk, with optional outdoor stairs along the way, begins and ends at the Philadelphia Art Museum and is expected to raise $400,000 for the fight against diabetes. To register your participation, go to www.diabetes.org/stepout, or call 1-888-DIABETES.