Novo Nordisk and Paula Deen Announce Winners of the Seeing Diabetes in a New Light™ Contest

Contest raised over $53,000 for organizations committed to diabetes awareness, education and support

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May 16, 2013, 08:00 ET

PRINCETON, N.J., May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Nordisk, the world leader in diabetes care, along with author, restaurateur and Food Network star Paula Deen, have selected six winners for their positive approach to diabetes management in the Seeing Diabetes in a New Light™ contest. Participants were asked to share what they or their loved one has done to manage the disease, and to commit to taking one more step, such as monitoring blood sugar levels or eating healthier, on the road to better diabetes management.

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"I've been sharing my story about making small changes and committing to daily diabetes management, and this contest was a wonderful opportunity to hear from so many others who are on a similar diabetes journey," said Paula. "I was so inspired by all the entries. And in my book, if you're taking a positive approach toward managing diabetes, you're a winner!"

All submissions were judged on the ability to inspire others to positively manage their diabetes, emotional appeal, originality of their approach to type 2 diabetes management, and clarity of expression. After reviewing more than 10,000 entries, the following six winners emerged on top:

Margaret C., Phoenix, AZ
Kimberly B., Arnold, MO
Sarrah S., Mableton, GA
Susan B., Fort Worth, TX
Brian C., Alpharetta, GA
John F., Saginaw, MI

The six contest winners and their guests will meet Paula in her hometown of Savannah, Ga., to walk in her shoes and see firsthand the steps she takes each day to manage her diabetes. Activities will include a diabetes-friendly lunch with Paula and her son Bobby at The Lady & Sons, a guided walking tour of Savannah, a consultation with a certified diabetes educator and entrance to an educational diabetes conference hosted by Taking Control of Your Diabetes.

The contest winners will also be featured on www.DiabetesinaNewLight.com, where visitors can sign up to receive diabetes information and resources, including the Diabetes in a New Light™ e-recipe book, Delicious Living Y'all, featuring tips to manage type 2 diabetes and diabetes-friendly recipes created by Paula and her sons Bobby and Jamie, in conjunction with certified diabetes professionals.

As part of Seeing Diabetes in a New Light™, entrants were asked to pledge to take one more step to positively manage their type 2 diabetes. For each pledge, Novo Nordisk made a $5 donation to one of three key diabetes organizations: Taking Control of Your Diabetes, the American Diabetes Association and Diabetes Care and Education, a practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Each organization is committed to diabetes education, awareness and support and will use the funds to further help meet the needs of people with diabetes. Over 10,000 pledges were made, raising a total of $53,410.

"We are thrilled by the overwhelming number of people who participated in the contest," said Camille Lee, corporate senior vice president, Diabetes Marketing at Novo Nordisk. "As the world leader in diabetes care, Novo Nordisk applauds the steps people with diabetes are taking toward better managing their disease and hopes that Diabetes in a New Light™ continues to be a great resource for them."

About Diabetes in a New Light™
The Diabetes in a New Light^™ initiative, which features Paula Deen along with her sons, Bobby and Jamie, provides resources and information to help adults tackle common challenges associated with diabetes management. Visit the campaign website, www.DiabetesinaNewLight.com, for tips and resources.

About Type 2 Diabetes
In the United States alone, nearly 26 million people are affected by diabetes. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all diabetes cases. Diabetes is emerging as one of the most serious health problems of our time; the number of Americans with diabetes has tripled over the last 30 years.

Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within hemophilia care, growth hormone therapy, and hormone replacement therapy. For more information, visit www.novonordisk.com.

SOURCE Novo Nordisk