Vince Wilfork Tackling Diabetes
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Often, the news runs rampant with the negative things some professional athletes do in their private lives. However, more athletes do good in their personal lives than the negative news stories would have you believe. One tremendous example of this is the Patriots’ Vince Wilfork. Big #75 has a big heart and is a consistent contributor to the community. His latest charitable venture is raising money for the battle against diabetes. Diabetes is a condition that has afflicted several members of my family, so his efforts hit close to home for me. Complications with diabetes also took Vince Wilfork’s father from him too soon.
Here is the complete press release, including information on what you can do to help:
Vince Wilfork ‘Tackling Diabetes’
New Effort by the Vince Wilfork Foundation and
Joslin Diabetes Center’s High Hopes Fund
(Boston,Massachusetts) September 16, 2011 – Bianca & Vince Wilfork andJoslinDiabetesCenterwill be “Tackling Diabetes” with the support of EMD Millipore during this year’s Patriots season, raising money for the Vince Wilfork Foundation andJoslinDiabetesCenter’s High Hopes Fund. The program will kick off this Sunday, September 18, with the Patriots’ first home game at Gillette Stadium and continue though the final regular season home game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, January 1, 2012.
Fans of Vince and the important work of theJoslinDiabetesCenterwill pledge $7.50 or $75.00, in honor of our beloved #75, for each tackle Vince makes during the regular season. One-time individual or corporate donations are also encouraged ranging from $75 to $7500. WEEI will be promoting the program on its sports radio show weekly. Fans who participate have the opportunity to meet Vince at a VIP reception and to win amazing prizes throughout the season!
“Tackling Diabetes” is a very personal effort for the Patriots defensive tackle and his wife Bianca. Vince’s Dad, his most devoted fan, passed away from complications of his diabetes while Vince was a student atUniversityofMiami. His Dad never had the chance to see him play with the Patriots, or become a loving husband and father based on the example his parents had shown him.
“Bianca and I realize how precious life is and we are dedicated to doing all we can to prevent others from having to suffer the loss we did because of diabetes. We created the Vince Wilfork Foundation to support care givers and researchers, like those at Joslin Diabetes Center,” according to Vince Wilfork. “The folks at the Joslin work to educate about prevention, offer healthier, longer lives to children and adults living with diabetes and their researchers are racing towards a cure; we know our challenge to “Tackle Diabetes” will bring in support from the best fans in the NFL.”
“The Joslin Diabetes Center is grateful to Bianca and Vince Wilfork for their efforts on behalf of Joslin’s High Hopes Fund,” said Joslin President and CEO John L. Brooks, III. “The High Hopes Fund supports the Center’s greatest needs in research, education and clinical care, making it possible for us to look forward to a future without diabetes.”
“Tackling Diabetes” is a positive way to take part in the game. It asks fans to participate withVince Wilfork in meeting or beating his 57 tackles during the 2010 regular season, knowing the funds raised by the Vince Wilfork Foundation andJoslinDiabetesCenter’s High Hopes Fund will help provide life-changing and life-saving research for one ofAmerica’s fastest-growing diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 25.8 million Americans suffer from diabetes, with some 2 million new cases each year. The CDC estimates that by 2050, one-third of Americans could develop diabetes. The current annual economic cost of diabetes in theU.S.is estimated to be more than $218 billion.
To get involved Make a $7.50 donation for every tackle that number 75 makes to the Vince Wilfork Foundation and the Joslin Diabetes Center High Hopes Fund!
Visit http://events.joslin.org/wilfork to register.
Or for more information, Erik Ryan at erik.ryan@joslin.harvard.edu or 617.264.2531
About the Vince Wilfork Foundation
Established by New England Patriots Defensive Tackle Vince Wilfork and his wife Bianca in 2009, the Vince Wilfork Foundation has raised over $500,000 for diabetes-related causes, including the JoslinDiabetesCenterand the Diabetes Research Institute at the Universityof Miami. His annual draft day fundraiser, a bowling event he has held for seven years, is one of the signature fundraising events held by a pro athlete in New England. http://www.vincewilfork75.com/foundation
About Joslin Diabetes Center
JoslinDiabetesCenteris the world’s preeminent diabetes research and clinical care organization. Joslin is dedicated to ensuring that people with diabetes live long, healthy lives and offers real hope and progress toward diabetes prevention and a cure. Joslin is an independent, nonprofit institution affiliated with HarvardMedicalSchool. For more information about Joslin, visit www.joslin.org. Keep up with Joslin research and clinical news at Inside Joslin at www.joslin.org/news/inside_joslin.html, Become a fan of Joslin on Facebook at www.facebook.com/joslindiabetes and follow Joslin on Twitter at www.twitter.com/joslindiabetes
About EMD Millipore
EMD Millipore is a division of Merck KGaA, Germany. EMD Millipore is the Life Science division of Merck KGaA of Germany and offers a broad range of innovative, performance products, services and business collaboration on new scientific and engineering insights, and as one of the top three R&D investors in the Life Science Tools industry, EMD Millipore serves as a strategic partner to customers and helps advance the promise of life science. Headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, the division has around 10,000 employees, operations in 68 countries and 2010 revenues of $2.2 billion. EMD Millipore is known as Merck Millipore outside of the U.S.and Canada. http://www.emdmillipore.com/
http://www.facebook.com/EMDMillipore, http://twitter.com/emd_millipore