Kitty Castellini Wins Roche Diabetes Care's Diabetes Heroes' Torchbearer Challenge

INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Roche Diabetes Care, makers of ACCU-CHEK products and services, is pleased to announce that Diabetes Living Today® Founder, President and CEO Kitty Castellini is the winner of Roche's inaugural Diabetes Heroes' Torchbearer Challenge.

Roche launched the online Diabetes Heroes program earlier this year to highlight and recognize historic and present-day individuals who have made important contributions to help others live full lives with diabetes. The site contains three groups: Trailblazers, Torchbearers and Everyday Heroes.

Trailblazers are scientists and researchers who have made important historic discoveries about how diabetes is diagnosed and treated. Torchbearers are present-day researchers, advocates and online community leaders who continue to blaze new trails in helping people with diabetes to live healthy, active lives. To increase the visibility of this very important group of modern-day heroes, Roche produced online video profiles of each Torchbearer and encouraged people to visit the site and "like" their favorite by Nov. 14, 2011, World Diabetes Day. Castellini received the most likes and as a result Roche will donate $10,000 in her name to the South Jersey JDRF Chapter.

"A diabetes hero is an ordinary person who finds the courage and strength to persevere and endure in spite of the overwhelming obstacles of diabetes," said Castellini.

The Diabetes Heroes site remains active and will continue to promote the incredible work being done by Kitty and her colleagues to assist people living with diabetes. Visitors to the Diabetes Heroes website may also add their own Everyday Hero by visiting the site and adding their own hero to the growing list.

For more information about Diabetes Living Today®, please visit http://diabeteslivingtoday.com. To learn more about the Diabetes Heroes website, please visit http://www.accu-chek.com/microsite/heroes/index.html. 

About Roche Diabetes Care

Roche Diabetes Care is a pioneer in the development of blood glucose monitoring systems and a global leader for diabetes management systems and services. For more than 30 years, Roche has been committed to helping people with diabetes live lives that are as normal and active as possible and has been helping healthcare professionals manage their patients' condition in an optimal way. Today, the ACCU-CHEK portfolio offers people with diabetes and healthcare professionals innovative products, services and comprehensive solutions for convenient, efficient and effective diabetes management—from blood glucose monitoring through information management to insulin delivery. The ACCU-CHEK brand encompasses blood glucose meters, infusion pumps, lancing and data management systems. For more information, please visit accu-chek.com.

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world's largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and CNS. Roche is also the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics, tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes management. Roche's personalized healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostic tools that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients. In 2010, Roche had over 80,000 employees worldwide and invested over 9 billion Swiss francs in R&D. The Group posted sales of 47.5 billion Swiss francs. Genentech, United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche has a majority stake in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information: www.roche.com.

About Kitty Castellini

Kitty Castellini, Founder, President and CEO of Diabetes Living Today®, has more than 47 years of experience with diabetes. Castellini is recognized as a national thought leader about diabetes by pharmaceutical companies, research institutes and those living with the disease. She is an active advocate for cure-focused research and fundraising. In 2007, the U.S. Congress acknowledged Castellini's impressive work in helping others who suffer from diabetes through her writing, fundraising and interviews. The State of New Jersey Senate honored her for her exemplary service, steadfast commitment and praiseworthy history of inspired leadership on behalf of her fellow citizens.

All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.

For further information, please contact:

Todd Siesky 
Public Relations Manager
Roche Diabetes Care
Indianapolis, IN
(317) 521-3966 O
(317) 361-7637 C
[email protected] 

SOURCE Roche Diabetes Care

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