Diabetes Advocate Phil Southerland Looks Forward to a Busy 2014 with Team Novo Nordisk and a New Foundation
On January 20, Team Novo Nordisk jump-started its second season at the Tour de San Luis in Argentina with four new riders and high aspirations. The competitive seven-day race in the International Cycling Union (UCI) American Tour includes more than 1,030 km of racing. Team Novo Nordisk is the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team and is founded and led by diabetes advocate Phil Southerland.
This news follows Phil Southerland’s exciting announcement on the launch of the Team Type 1 Foundation last year on World Diabetes Day. The Foundation aims to address disparities in diabetes care around the world and pursue a mission dedicated to education, empowerment, and global access to medicine for everyone affected by diabetes. Its first US initiative is a scholarship for collegiate athletes with type 1 diabetes competing in an NCAA sport. This year, the program will reward at least seven scholarships of $5,000 each to help student athletes offset the cost of diabetes care. The Foundation also plans to continue its work with the Minister of Health in Rwanda, where it has donated one million test strips and 900 blood glucose monitors – a one-year supply for the entire population of people with type 1 diabetes in Rwanda.
To top off this exciting year, Phil recently announced a brand new addition to the team – congratulations to Phil and Biljana Southerland for welcoming Alexander into the world on January 4, 2014! This will certainly be a jam-packed year for the Southerland family and their team. –NL
