Neo-Soul Singer Angie Stone Belts a New Tune: Be Fearless in the FACE of Diabetes

Neo-Soul Singer Angie Stone Belts a New Tune: Be Fearless in the FACE of Diabetes

Grammy Award-nominated artist comes to Indianapolis to encourage African-Americans with diabetes to take control of their disease

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Sept. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Angie Stone will be in Indianapolis on September 20, 2008, the third stop on a national tour of the Fearless African-Americans Connected and Empowered (F.A.C.E.) Diabetes campaign to encourage African-Americans with diabetes to take control and learn how to better manage their disease.

The F.A.C.E. Diabetes event with Angie Stone will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 20 at Martin University in the Main Building (2171 Avondale Place, Indianapolis, IN 46218). The free event is open to the public and will feature:

- "Diabetes 101" educational information along with certified diabetes educators available to answer questions about diabetes care

- An interactive experiential zone featuring information from supporting community health organizations, healthy food sampling, diabetes literature, free blood glucose monitors and more

- Angie Stone's personal story about living with and managing diabetes and a special performance off her latest album

Sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company, corporate contributors including Bayer Diabetes and numerous healthcare and community-based partners, the campaign aims to help foster behavioral and attitudinal changes in areas critical to success in managing diabetes such as nutrition/cooking, physical activity, health and overall well-being. As the national spokesperson for the F.A.C.E. Diabetes campaign, Angie Stone has been traveling the country since 2007, hosting community-wide diabetes awareness events and sharing her personal journey with diabetes.

"I'm excited to be here in Lilly's hometown to share my story, which I hope can inspire African-Americans, like me, who are living with diabetes," said Stone. "After you're diagnosed, I personally know how hard it can be to face your diabetes. That's why I hope everyone comes out to the F.A.C.E. Diabetes events to learn about some of the resources available in Indianapolis and join the movement to fearlessly face diabetes together."

"In Indiana, ten percent of African-American adults have diabetes and for this group, it's the fourth leading cause of death in the state," said Monique Jelks, President, Goodness & Mercy Inc.(1) "That's why we've partnered with Lilly on the F.A.C.E. Diabetes campaign to help our community understand that they don't need to face this disease alone, which speaks to our mission of providing H.O.P.E. by Helping Other People Elevate. We encourage everyone to take advantage of the upcoming events, which will provide practical tips to help people make better decisions every day."

Development of the F.A.C.E. Diabetes campaign was based on in-depth research of African-Americans with diabetes, insights from physicians and various national and local health advocacy organizations. After a successful pilot program in Chicago in 2007, the campaign launched nationally in 2008 and is now making its way to various metropolitan cities as part of a national roll-out, with successful events already hosted in Chicago and Atlanta earlier this year and upcoming events in Washington, D.C.

"The movement started by the F.A.C.E. Diabetes campaign is living proof of Lilly's commitment to helping individuals achieve greater success in managing diabetes," said Dionne Maffett, Manager, Social Corporate Responsibility, Eli Lilly and Company. "We're pleased to launch the F.A.C.E. Diabetes campaign in our hometown alongside local community partners who are unified and committed to bringing together the wealth of tools and resources available in Indianapolis to help African-Americans learn how to better manage the disease."

In November, just in time for the holidays, Stone and the F.A.C.E. Diabetes campaign will return to Indianapolis to host healthy cooking demonstrations with the Hebni Chefs, the creators of the Soul Food Pyramid, to promote nutrition and healthy eating habits among those living with and successfully managing diabetes.

About the F.A.C.E. Diabetes Campaign

The Fearless African-Americans Connected and Empowered (F.A.C.E.) Diabetes Campaign is a grassroots movement targeting African-Americans in the United States to help individuals, families and neighborhoods overcome key barriers to success in living with diabetes. Supported by Eli Lilly and Company, and national and local health advocacy organizations, the F.A.C.E. Diabetes campaign will implement a series of practical and sustainable programs, which will help foster behavioral and attitudinal changes in areas critical to success in managing diabetes such as nutrition/cooking, physical activity, health and overall well-being. For additional information about the F.A.C.E. Diabetes campaign and/or events, go to www.FACE-Diabetes.com.

The following organizations have helped bring F.A.C.E. Diabetes to Indianapolis: American Diabetes Association; Citizen's Health Center; Clarian Health; Community Action of Greater Indianapolis, Inc.; Indianapolis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Faith, Hope and Love; Goodness and Mercy, Inc.; Indiana Health Information Exchange; Indiana House of Representatives; Indiana Minority Health Coalition; Indiana State Department of Health; Indianapolis Housing Agency; Indianapolis Urban League; IU Medical Group; Marion County Health Department; Martin Luther King Community Center; Martindate Brightwood Partnership; Office of the Seventh Congressional District of Indianapolis; Quality Health Care; Raphael Health Center; St. Vincent Jubilee Center; YMCA; among other partners including churches and media outlets.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., Lilly provides answers -- through medicines and information -- for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is available at www.lilly.com.

About Diabetes

Despite significant treatment advances and a wide variety of patient education and support programs, the incidence of diabetes and its resulting medical complications continues to rise rapidly. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes affects nearly 24 million Americans nationwide; of that, nearly one-fourth, or approximately six million people, are unaware that they have the disease.(2)

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(1) Indiana State Department of Health. Diabetes Prevention and Control Program. http://www.in.gov/isdh/files/Diabetes_in_Indiana_2007_Final.pdf. Last accessed 19 August 2008.

(2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National diabetes Fact Sheet: General Information and National Estimates on Diabetes in the United States, 2007. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071106/CLTU016LOGO
Source: Eli Lilly and Company

CONTACT: Morry Smulevitz of Eli Lilly and Company, +1-317-457-3294;
Daphne Hoytt, Manning Selvage & Lee, +1-917-406-2779

Web site: http://www.face-diabetes.com/
http://www.www.lilly.com/

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