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“Diabetes is one of our City’s top healthcare issues so we are pleased to be collaborating on this initiative,” said Valentine J. Burroughs, M.D., M.B.A., Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at North General Hospital and member of the NYC Diabetes Dream Team. “A significant part of the problem is that many people with diabetes don’t have access to the information and resources they need to control their diabetes. The BD Diabetes Makeover Program demonstration project is a model program that helps people with diabetes understand and apply a comprehensive approach to self-managing their disease to help them avoid complications and live healthier lives.”

An estimated 20.8 million Americans—about 7 percent of the population—have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.  In New York alone, an estimated 530,000 adults have been diagnosed with diabetes and approximately 265,000 others are living with the disease and don’t know it, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Starting the weekend of April 7, 2006, six New York City residents will participate in the 11-week BD Diabetes Makeover Program.Led by the NYC Diabetes Dream Team—a team of New York City’s leading clinical, diabetes education, nutrition, fitness and lifestyle organization experts assembled specifically for this program—each participant will undergo a comprehensive health and lifestyle evaluation and be provided with a personalized care plan to improve their diabetes control.

Each personalized plan will include medication regimens, education on diabetes self-management practices, fitness recommendations, nutrition guidance and lifestyle management skills. As participants work to incorporate healthy life habits into their daily routine, they will receive ongoing support from the Dream Team.

Similar to previous BD Diabetes Makeover Program initiatives, this Program draws on the inspiration of Gary Hall, Jr., the Olympic Gold Medal swimmer, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1999. After his diagnosis, Gary went on to win 6 of his 10 Olympic medals, including a gold in 2004. Gary serves as a role model and inspiration for makeover participants as well as a spokesperson for the BD Diabetes Makeover Program.

"The Dream Team, the makeover participants, and Gary Hall are a powerful combination," says Bill Marshall, President, BD Medical-Diabetes Care. "The BD Diabetes Makeover Program, along with BD’s high quality diabetes care products, exemplifies our commitment to help make it possible for people with diabetes to control their care and live healthier lives."

The NYC Diabetes Dream Team

• Endocrinologist, Valentine J. Burroughs, M.D., M.B.A.—Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at North General Hospital in New York City
• Certified Diabetes Nurse Educator, Andrea Zaldivar, R.N., M.S., A.N.P., C.D.E —Registered nurse, nurse practitioner and certified diabetes educator, Director of Clinical Services at North General Diagnostic and Treatment Center, New York
• Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator, Sheila Gittens R.D., M.S., C.D.E., C.D.N.—Diabetes Program Coordinator at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York
• Exercise Physiologist and Certified Diabetes Educator, Richard Weil, M.Ed., C.D.E.—Director and Exercise Physiologist at the New York Obesity Research Center Weight Loss Program
• Professional Organizer and Registered Nurse, Sondra Schiff, R.N.—Professional organizer and founder of A to ZEN Organizing, Inc., New York

For more information on BD diabetes products and the BD Diabetes Makeover Program -- in both English and Spanish – please visit www.bd.com/diabetes_makeover.

About BD

BD, a leading global medical technology company that makes and sells medical devices, instrumented systems and reagents, is dedicated to improving people’s health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug therapy, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and advancing research and discovery of new drugs and vaccines. The Company’s capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world’s most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs more than 25,000 people in approximately 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.

About North General Hospital

North General Hospital is a 200-bed voluntary, community hospital located on the border of East Harlem and Central Harlem. Founded in 1979, North General provides over 80,000 ambulatory care visits, 35,000 emergency department visits and 6,000 inpatient admissions. North General is a teaching facility with residency programs in internal medicine and psychiatry affiliated with Mount Sinai School of Medicine, as well as training programs in surgery and podiatry. North General also operates the Helene Fuld College of Nursing, which graduates 120 RNs annually.

North General offers inpatient services in medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, substances abuse detoxification and AIDS. The hospital is designated a 911 and 939 receiving hospital, and operates over 30 primary, specialty and mental health clinics, as well as a New York State-designated AIDS Center, the Addiction Treatment Center and a multi-site Women, Infants and Children program.To learn more about NGH, please visit http://www.northgeneral.org.