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Athletes With Diabetes Take Their Message On The Road

Content Provided By Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC.

sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC. (ARA) - A group of amateur and professional athletes, many of whom have diabetes, is touring the country, hoping to inspire and motivate others with the condition to take a proactive approach to managing their health and strive for blood sugar control.

The team of athletes, called Team Type 1, will take their personal messages of hope to audiences across the country this year. Their goal: to encourage others to be proactive in managing their condition through a healthy diet, regular exercise, monitoring their blood sugar levels, taking their insulin as prescribed, and working closely with their healthcare team.

"The members of Team Type 1 challenge one another on multiple levels -- as athletes, but also as people living with diabetes striving for better blood sugar control," says Phil Southerland, founder and chief executive officer of Team Type 1. "I consider proper blood sugar management to be a journey, just like our races, with a lot of little challenges, obstacles and victories along with way."

Founded in 2004 by friends Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge, both diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as children, Team Type 1 is the first professional cycling team dedicated to raising awareness about diabetes. Team Type 1 has evolved over the years and expanded to include a diverse group of 46 athletes from around the world. Since 2006, the team has competed in and twice won the 3,052 mile-long Race Across America (RAAM).

In 2009, Team Type 1 is sponsored by the long-acting insulin Lantus (R) (insulin glargine [rDNA origin] injection), and rapid-acting mealtime insulin Apidra (R) (insulin glulisine [rDNA origin] injection), which are both manufactured by sanofi-aventis. As a result of this sponsorship, Team Type 1 has expanded its roster and fielded a total of five athletic teams including a men's professional cycling team and a women's professional cycling team, both featuring a mixed roster of riders with and without type 1 diabetes; an elite cycling team for the 2009 RAAM comprised entirely of riders with type 1 diabetes; and a triathlon team whose members all have type 1 diabetes. In addition to its type 1 roster, Team Type 1 also launched Team Type 2, a team of amateur cyclists living with type 2 diabetes, sponsored by Lantus (R).

Members of Team Type 1 with diabetes use Lantus (R), Apidra (R), or a combined treatment regimen of both insulins to help control their blood sugar as part of their overall diabetes treatment plan. The members of Team Type 2 manage their blood sugar through their own individualized diabetes treatment plan, which, for some members, may include Lantus (R) other diabetes medications, diet and exercise.

As part of an effective diabetes treatment plan, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) encourages people living with diabetes to track their blood sugar levels with daily self-monitoring and by taking an A1C test, which measures average blood sugar levels over the past two-to-three-month period. To keep blood sugar levels under control, the ADA recommends striving for an A1C of less than seven percent. Unfortunately, more than 40 percent of all patients with diabetes in the United States are not achieving this target with diet, exercise and oral medications alone. It is important for patients with diabetes to talk to their treating healthcare provider about an appropriate A1C goal for them.

For more information on Lantus (R) and Apidra (R), please visit www.Lantus.com and www.Apidra.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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