Dexcom and Major League Soccer AT&T Rookie of the Year Jordan Morris Kick-off Partnership to Help Those Living with Diabetes
Morris Has a New Goal to Share His Story of Becoming a Professional Athlete with Type 1 Diabetes in Hopes of Inspiring Others to Pursue Their Dreams Despite the Diagnosis
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Dexcom, Inc. (NASDAQ:DXCM), a provider of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for patients with Type 1 Diabetes, announced that it has teamed up with professional soccer player Jordan Morris of Seattle Sounders FC, who will share his personal story about living with the disease and how CGM has helped him manage it. In teaming up with Dexcom, Morris—who was named Major League Soccer's 2016 AT&T Rookie of the Year and recently chosen to lead the Major League Soccer team at the Chipotle Homegrown Game during this year's All-Star week—hopes to empower and educate others living with Type 1 Diabetes to take control of their disease through proper glucose management.
Education on diabetes management is crucial for the approximately 29.1 million Americans living with the disease, including 1.25 million diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.1 The growth in use of CGM systems, like the Dexcom G5® Mobile CGM System, has helped diabetes patients better understand valuable information about their glucose levels and trends, a key factor in managing the disease and staying healthy.
"Being a professional athlete means my body needs to be in tip-top shape, and I can't have any surprises when I'm about to go out on the field," said Morris. "The amazing thing about the Dexcom CGM is I always have the opportunity to see my glucose levels and where they are going. This allows me to go into each and every game and play confidently. There are no more surprises—my CGM has greatly improved my ability to manage my Type 1 Diabetes."
Morris, an advocate for patients living with diabetes, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was nine-years-old. Despite the challenges of playing sports with the disease, Morris was steadfast in pursuing his dream of becoming a professional soccer player and went on to play for the U.S. men's national team. In 2016, he was awarded the Hermann Trophy (given to the best player in NCAA Division I soccer) before going on to lead Stanford to the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship. In 2016, Morris signed with Seattle Sounders FC and currently leads the team with 12 goals this season, which is the second most by a rookie in league history. Now, at 21-years-old, Morris is committed to helping others with diabetes learn more about managing the disease.
"When I was first diagnosed, it was a scary, nerve-wracking time for me and I thought it would interfere with my dreams of playing soccer," added Morris. "But diabetes has only driven me toward them. I want everyone living with diabetes to know that you can still reach your dreams—diabetes doesn't have to slow you down. Dexcom CGM has helped me accomplish my goals, and I'm eager to share that with others."
"As a professional athlete excelling with Type 1 Diabetes, we believe that Jordan's story will inspire others living with the disease," said Kevin Sayer, Chief Executive Officer of Dexcom. "Effectively managing his diabetes has allowed Jordan to win on and off the soccer field. We hope that his story will help others understand that with the right tools you can not only manage your diabetes but thrive."
About CGM
Continuous glucose monitoring is considered by some commentators to be 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 approximately 10 percent of the American population and is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.2 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.2 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 Jordan Morris
Jordan Morris, 22, was born on October 26, 1994 and is from Mercer Island, Washington. Jordan played collegiate soccer at Stanford University and after two years, exploded onto the scene during his junior season. He scored 13 goals that year and guided the Cardinals to both the Pac-12 and the NCAA Championships and was awarded the Hermann Trophy as the best player in NCAA Division I soccer. Subsequently, Jordan decided to forgo his senior season and instead signed the most lucrative Homegrown Player contract in MLS history with Seattle Sounders FC. Jordan has played 28 games with the club and has found the back of the net 10 times. Jordan's devastating mixture of speed, finishing and on-ball technical ability became an immediate hallmark of his game, branding him as one of the most promising young American players. Capable of playing as either a striker or a wider attacking midfielder, Jordan is among the most prodigiously gifted U.S. players in the system today. Jordan became the first collegiate player to appear for the full national team in 15 years and on April 15, 2015 he scored a now famous goal against Mexico to cement his status as a rising national teamer in the making. Jordan now has 9 caps and 1 goal with the U.S. Men's National Team.
CONSUMER CONTACT:
Caren Begun, 201-396-8551 or [email protected]
To view multimedia assets, please visit: http://www.multimedianewscenter.com/dexcom/dexcom-media-portal.
INVESTOR CONTACT:
Steven Pacelli, 858-200-0200 or [email protected]
References
- Diabetes.org (http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/)
- 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. - 2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/statsreport14/national-diabetes-report-web.pdf Accessed March 31, 2015.
- 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.
- 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.
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