Contact:
Brandy Barnes, 919.621.2125 or
director@diabetessisters.org
http://www.diabetessisters.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: March 3, 2011
Support Women with Diabetes at the Upcoming orange:will Walk
May 1, 2011 in Raleigh, NC
RALEIGH, NC - DiabetesSisters is pleased to announce the first annual orange: will walk to support women with diabetes. The event will kick off National Women’s Health Month on Sunday, May 1st. The one-mile awareness walk will begin at 8am in downtown Raleigh, starting and ending in front of Marriott City Center. Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker will be on hand to read Raleigh’s proclamation of support and to announce the start of the walk. Light food and beverages will be provided.
Anyone who knows, supports, or loves a woman with diabetes is encouraged to attend and wear orange attire in support of the cause. Orange:will t-shirts may be purchased online at www.diabetessisters.org or at the event. The goal of the orange: will campaign is to establish orange as the official color of women with diabetes and to raise awareness of the unique issues faced by women with diabetes. In fact, women with diabetes are an overlooked subgroup of the overall population of people with diabetes. The average person is unaware of the dramatic blood sugar fluctuations that take place during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Many are also unaware of the high risk of depression, cardiovascular disease, eating disorders, body image issues, and osteoporosis that women with diabetes face every day.
“I am so excited to attend a walk just for me….to celebrate the hard work I have put into managing this disease. I am also very appreciative of the opportunity to connect with other women who have gone through some of the same things as me. With this disease, support really is key!” said Kelli Turner, DiabetesSisters’ member and volunteer.
The walk will be held in conjunction with DiabetesSisters’ second annual Weekend for Women Conference which is taking place at the Marriott City Center from April 29- May 1, 2011. The Conference is open to all women with diabetes age 18 and older. Conference participants attend educational sessions on gender-specific topics related to diabetes treatment and management (such as pregnancy, body image, concurrent illnesses, nutrition and physical fitness), engage with other women living successfully with diabetes, receive unbiased information on the emergence of new equipment and medications, and learn new tactics for improving their mental and physical health. For more information or to register for the conference, please visit www.diabetessisters.org. The conference is offered at a reduced rate of $100 and is only open to the first 150 registrants.
“With cancer and surgeries, our friends and family encourage us to “beat it” or to “get well soon.” Because diabetes is a lifelong chronic illness, people often aren’t sure what to say or how to support us. This walk provides the opportunity for loved ones to outwardly demonstrate their support as well as the opportunity for women with diabetes to be celebrated and appreciated—both of which are rare! We hope to see the whole Triangle area at this walk-- proudly showing their support of women with diabetes,” said Brandy Barnes, Founder/CEO of DiabetesSisters.
If you are unable to attend the walk, but would like support a woman/women with diabetes, you can upload a photo to the orange:will website at www.orangewill.org or make a donation to the cause at www.diabetessisters.org or by mailing it to: DiabetesSisters, 6 Silverbell Court, Durham, NC 27713.
DiabetesSisters is a 501c3 national nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and quality of life of women with and at risk of developing diabetes and to advocate on their behalf.
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