OneTouch® Launches #SmallVictories to Honor People Living with Diabetes with Unexpected Celebrations during Diabetes Awareness Month

CHESTERBROOK, Pa., Nov. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of Diabetes Awareness Month, LifeScan Inc., the makers of the OneTouch Verio Flex® blood glucose monitoring system, is honoring people with diabetes across the country with in-person surprises celebrating everyday lifestyle changes that have helped them move forward with managing their blood glucose. The launch of the #SmallVictories campaign is a result of key insights from a new survey showing that while 83% of people living with type 2 diabetes feel they're working hard to make everyday lifestyle changes, more than a quarter can't remember the last time they received any recognition for their efforts to manage their diabetes.¹

The campaign aims to help people with diabetes see how the moments and the choices they make add up and empower them to celebrate each and every victory. As part of the celebration we will be surprising several people with diabetes in front of a live audience with a personal party experience based on their unique small victory. People living with diabetes and those who support them are invited to recognize accomplishments of their own or of others with diabetes on social media using the hashtag #SmallVictories.

"As a doctor living with diabetes, I have the unique perspective of wearing both 'patient' and 'physician' hats," said Dr. Jeremy Pettus, Endocrinologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego.  "One of the biggest differences is reinforcing the notion that small, everyday actions lead to sustainable wins. As a OneTouch Verio Flex® system user, I'm happy to partner with a company that recognizes the power of positivity and creates a people-friendly meter that helps to encourage these behaviors."

The OneTouch® brand-sponsored survey of 1,036 people living with type 2 diabetes found there is room for improvement in celebrating the small victories those living with diabetes make frequently:

• 48% of respondents stated they wish that they got some recognition for managing their diabetes¹
• Nearly a third of respondents believed that their family and friends don't know how hard they work to manage their diabetes¹
• 44% of respondents agreed that managing diabetes is more stressful than their job/career¹
• 52% of those surveyed reported that if someone they cared about took the time to recognize their everyday effort it would motivate them to increase their efforts to live a healthier lifestyle¹

Currently, there are an estimated 23 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the U.S. ² and many don't test their blood sugar regularly or as recommended by their healthcare professional.³ Blood glucose monitoring is the most accurate, accessible, and cost-effective way people with diabetes can track their blood glucose. Together, the OneTouch Verio Flex® and the OneTouch Reveal® app can help people with diabetes change the way they see their blood sugar, so they can apply that knowledge to future actions and move forward. In a separate study, eight out of 10 people with diabetes agreed that using the OneTouch Reveal® mobile app made it easy to spot patterns in their blood sugar, enabling them to take action to get back in range.⁴

"More than 30% of survey respondents said they make at least 10 decisions a day to manage their diabetes," said Dr. Brian Levy, Chief Medical Officer, LifeScan, Inc.  "We've designed our OneTouch Verio Flex® meter and OneTouch Reveal® mobile app to be an easy, seamless way for patients to log blood glucose readings, see blood glucose and activity timelines transformed into quick visual snapshots over days and weeks, and share their victories with their doctor, family and friends. Information is power, and we aim to empower people who use OneTouch® products with the information they need to celebrate what's working in their diabetes management plans."

LifeScan, Inc. – makers of OneTouch® brand products – is encouraging the diabetes community to share their #SmallVictories and recognize the #SmallVictories of others on social media. To learn more about OneTouch® products, visit OneTouch.com.

About Diabetes Awareness Month
National Diabetes Awareness Month begins November 1^st and is focused on bringing attention to the disease and how many people struggle with it on an ongoing basis. The month is centered around World Diabetes Day which is on November 14^th and opens up the conversation to an even larger audience. The 14^th of November was chosen as World Diabetes day to honor the founder of Insulin, Frederick Banting who was born on that day. ⁵ People from all corners of the earth are struggling with diabetes and this day and month are an opportunity to bring the community together.

About LifeScan, Inc.
In the U.S., LifeScan, Inc. is the leading blood glucose monitoring company and OneTouch® brand products are recommended by more endocrinologists and primary care physicians than any other brand.⁶ Globally, more than 20 million people depend on OneTouch® brand products for simple testing and accurate results to help them manage their diabetes. For more information, visit: www.OneTouch.com.

Dr. Pettus is a paid consultant for LifeScan, Inc.

^{1 Survey background: Survey conducted online by Toluna Analytics among 1,036 patients with type 2 diabetes between the dates of 10/21/17 and 10/24/17.
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pdfs/data/statistics/national-diabetes-statistics-report.pdf.   Accessed October 27, 2017.
3 Survey of 18,457 U.S. diabetes patients who self-test their blood glucose, U.S. Roper. 2011.
4 Based on results of a survey after six months of home use as a part of a 24-week study conducted in the UK in 2016 with 128  patients (79 Type 1 and 49 Type 2 diabetes), 82.3% of 62 respondents agreed that the OneTouch Reveal mobile app detected patterns and 80.4% of 51 patients agreed that they were able to correct the underlying cause of those patterns to get their blood sugar back in range.
5 Shahbazian, H. (2013). World diabetes day; 2013. Journal of Renal Injury Prevention, 2(4), 123–124. http://doi.org/10.12861/jrip.2013.39 Accessed November 6, 2017.
6 Global Brand Equity Insights Study, February 2015}

SOURCE LifeScan, Inc.