Making a Difference in Diabetes: 17th Annual Gala to Benefit the American Diabetes Association

Oct. 22, 2012 - PRLog -- Tuesday, January 8th, 2013, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) is hosting its 17th Annual Gala to honor people in New Jersey who impact the lives of those affected by diabetes. The Gala is hosted at the historical Stony Hill Inn in Hackensack, NJ where over 200 guests, including presenting sponsors Becton Dickinson (BD) and Novo Nordisk, will celebrate the achievements of this year’s honorees.

Being honored by the ADA are Dr. Javier Aisenberg, the chief of Pediatric Endocyrinology and Diabetes at Hackensack University Medical Center, and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce accepted by President Tom Bracken. Through their work, both are helping fulfill the ADA’s mission to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

Originally planning to work in his father’s hardware store in Argentina, Dr. Aisenberg decided to follow his passion and fascination for medicine which lead him to switch from business school to medical school. After attending medical school in Buenos Aires, he then joined the staff of HackensackUMC in 1999 as the sole pediatric endocrinologist with a caseload of four patients. Since then, Aisenberg has helped to grow Hackensack’s MOLLY Center for Children with Diabetes into a thriving and comprehensive center that cares for more than 500 families that are coping with children who have the disease.  

“Javier is the ultimate pediatrician,” says Dr. Jeffrey Boscamp, chairman and physician-in-chief of the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at HackensackUMC. “He is very dedicated, has tremendous empathy, listens well, is cutting-edge and implements the latest technology into patients’ care. He understands what a family goes through when they have a diabetic child. These abilities have led him to create an outstanding team in his department.”

Linda Tharby, Vice President of Pharmaceutical Systems at BD discusses the importance of outstanding diabetes care, “The complications of diabetes can be greatly lessened through high-quality medical care. The team at Becton Dickinson is happy to be involved in an event with the ADA that supports and highlights the many advances in the treatment of diabetes from outstanding medical leaders like Dr. Aisenberg.”

Tom Bracken, veteran banker and now the President and CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce will be accepting the award on behalf of the Chamber, who is working to improve the health of New Jersey employees and the affordability of coverage which will ultimately lower healthcare costs, increase productivity and most importantly, save lives.   “Diabetes is an epidemic costs $174 billion dollars in health care. Along with diabetes care, Novo Nordisk stands behind the ADA’s fight to cure and prevent the disease. Through their work, the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce is taking great lengths to improve the lives of NJ residents through health care,” says Camille Lee, Vice President of Diabetes Brand Marketing at Novo Nordisk.

The Gala begins at 6 p.m with a cocktail hour complete with live jazz music, followed by a dinner reception. Throughout the evening, attendees will enjoy dynamic speeches from special guests such as Camille Lee, Corporate Vice President of Diabetes Brand Marketing at Novo Nordisk, Linda Tharby, Vice President of Pharmaceutical Systems at BD and keynote speaker Jay Hewitt, former member of the US National Triathlon Team who will speak about his experience as a competitive athlete living with diabetes.

Funds raised at the Gala support the American Diabetes Association’s educational programs, research and advocacy efforts which are crucial to the 26 million Americans with diabetes and 79 million with pre-diabetes. To learn more about how to become involved in the event, visit www/diabetes.org/njgala.

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).

BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 29,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com (http://www.bd.com/leaving/?http://www.bd.com/leaving/?htt...).

Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 89 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within haemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. For more information, visit novonordisk.com. For more information about their US activities, follow them on Twitter at @NovoNordiskUS.

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If you would like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview, please call Jillian Prior at 732-469-7979 x3520, or email her at jprior@diabetes.org.