Actor Derek Theler and Dexcom Take Center Stage to Raise Awareness of Diabetes

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dexcom, Inc., (NASDAQ: DXCM), a leader in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for patients with diabetes, announced today it has partnered with Derek Theler of Freeform's "Baby Daddy," who has type 1 diabetes, to raise awareness of the benefits of CGM for people with the disease. Theler, who has been nominated for two Teen Choice Awards, will share his personal story and views on living with diabetes and his use of Dexcom technology to help him monitor his glucose levels and manage his diabetes while he pursues and lives his dreams. Through the collaboration with Dexcom, Theler hopes to spread awareness for CGM and provide encouragement for those impacted by diabetes to take control of the disease and continue to do the things they enjoy.

With approximately 29.1 million Americans living with diabetes, education on disease management is crucial to living with the condition day-to-day.¹ The growth of continuous glucose monitoring systems, like the Dexcom G5® Mobile CGM System, has helped patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes understand valuable information about their glucose levels and trends, a key aspect to controlling the disease and staying healthy.

"Whether I'm shooting a film in South Africa or on the set in LA, being an actor means having a career that is intensely physical and constantly changing, and it's nearly impossible to keep a regular routine," said Theler. "The Dexcom CGM has allowed me to navigate my blood sugar's highs and lows so I can work without interruption. It also gives my mom peace of mind, because she can use the Dexcom Follow app to easily check on me when I'm traveling and filming. CGM has made me feel safe and has transformed my life and career in invaluable ways."

Both Theler and his sister Ashlea were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as young children. As a kid he felt having diabetes was difficult to live a normal childhood. Over the years, diabetes strengthened Theler's motivation to pursue his dreams and to share his story to inspire others to realize that they too can live out their passions with diabetes especially with the right tools and support to help manage the condition. With dedication and a strong spirit, Theler earned a degree in pre-med from Colorado State University before moving to LA to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. Now, an advocate for others living with diabetes, Theler is committed to spreading the word about disease management, and how to live life without limitations.

"We are excited to be collaborating with Derek Theler on this educational campaign," stated Kevin Sayer, Chief Executive Officer of Dexcom. "As someone who has truly benefited from CGM, Derek's support in raising further awareness for management options and living life to the fullest with diabetes will augment our ongoing efforts to educate people about how they can best manage their diabetes. We believe Derek's story will help inspire those who struggle with this disease on a daily basis."

About CGM
Continuous glucose monitoring is considered the most significant breakthrough in diabetes management in the past 40 years.² The traditional standard-of-care for glucose (blood sugar) monitoring has been a finger stick meter. CGM augments the use of glucose meters for the management of diabetes. With the recent introduction of the Dexcom G5 Mobile CGM System, people with diabetes can now view their glucose information on their iOS-enabled devices for real-time diabetes management. CGM is important because, in addition to indicating the glucose level, it provides the direction and rate of glucose change with the push of a button and alerts users when glucose is too low or too high.

About Diabetes
Diabetes affects 10% of the American population and is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.¹ With diabetes, the body cannot produce or use the hormone insulin effectively, causing a buildup of glucose, or sugar, in the blood. It is estimated that approximately 86 million Americans over the age of 20 are at risk for developing diabetes (primarily Type 2), largely due to obesity, physical inactivity and poor diet.¹ People with diabetes who take insulin must monitor their blood glucose levels frequently. Uncontrolled glucose can cause health complications and even death.^3,4

About Dexcom, Inc.
Dexcom, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, CA, is dedicated to helping people better manage their diabetes by developing and marketing continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) products and tools for adult and pediatric patients. With exceptional performance, patient comfort and lifestyle flexibility at the heart of its technology, users have consistently ranked Dexcom highest in customer satisfaction and loyalty. For more information on the Dexcom CGM, visit www.dexcom.com.

About Derek Theler
Derek Theler is a 30-year-old actor from Colorado living with Type 1 Diabetes. After earning a degree in pre-med from Colorado State University, in 2009, Derek moved to LA to begin his acting career. After a couple supporting TV roles on series such as "The Middle" and "Cougar Town", he quickly landed is his first major role as "Danny Wheeler" on the hit Freeform series, "Baby Daddy."  Theler has also starred in the action-thriller digital series "Project S.E.R.A.". Derek has been nominated for two Teen Choice Awards. Derek currently lives in Los Angeles. For more on Derek, please visit his pages on Facebook and Instagram. 

To view multimedia assets, please visit: http://www.multimedianewscenter.com/dexcom/dexcom-media-portal.

CONSUMER CONTACT:
Caren Begun, 856-424-2023 or [email protected]
or
INVESTOR CONTACT:
Steven Pacelli, 858-200-0200 or [email protected]

References

^1. Diabetes.org (http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/)
^2. Clarke SF and Foster JR. A history of blood glucose meters and their role in self-monitoring of diabetes mellitus.
Br J Biomed Sci. 2012;(3)2:83-93.
^3. Hyperglycemia (High blood glucose). American Diabetes Association Web site. http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/hyperglycemia.html. Updated August 5, 2013. Accessed December 3, 2013.
^4. Hypoglycemia (Low blood glucose). American Diabetes Association Web site. http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/hypoglycemia-low-blood.html. Updated July 16, 2013. Accessed December 3, 2013.

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SOURCE Dexcom, Inc.

Related Links

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