Pensacola is Walking to Cure Diabetes

Contact:                                                                                                                                                             

Elena Purdy, (850) 597-6532; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Pensacola is Walking to Cure Diabetes

--More than 400 Walkers Expected to Raise Over $95,000 for JDRF--

Pensacola, Fla – March 18, 2013 – More than 400 walkers representing local businesses, families, schools, and other organizations are expected to participate in JDRF’s Second Annual Pensacola Walk to Cure Diabetes, on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at Seville Square located at 311 East Government Street in Pensacola. The chapter has set a fundraising goal of more than $95,000, which will help fund research toward preventing, better treating, and curing type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its complications. All those interested in participating in the walk can register online at walk.jdrf.org.

“It’s great to be partnering with JDRF and working together toward such an important goal – promoting awareness of  type 1 diabetes and raising funds to advance research,” said Gary Bembry, President and CEO of Lakeview Center and Corporate Chair of the 2013 Pensacola Walk to Cure Diabetes. “By working together, we can make a difference for the millions of people who are affected by this disease.”

The Walk is expected to draw an enthusiastic crowd of all ages, driven to support a great cause while enjoying an event that includes music, a bounce house, face painting, photographs taken by local photographer Phillip Davies, lunch provided by Piccadilly Cafeteria, and a craft station provided by Home Depot. On-site registration starts at 8 a.m. in Seville Square. The walk begins at 9 a.m., and is approximately three miles long with a one mile fun walk option, and both starts and ends around Seville Square. 

“JDRF is truly grateful for the participation of Gary Bembry and the amazing Lakeview Center staff in this year’s Walk to Cure Diabetes,” said Aubrey Miller, JDRF Executive Director for the Alabama Chapter. “Type 1 diabetes is a disease that affects as many as 3 million Americans, and it is through the help and dedication of supporters like Lakeview Center that JDRF is able to fund the research to develop better treatments and one day a cure for those people and their families.”   

JDRF Walks are held in more than 200 cities worldwide. Nearly 900,000 people nationally walked last year and raised $86 million for research toward curing, treating, and preventing T1D and its complications. For additional information please contact Elena Purdy at (850) 597-6532 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

JDRF’s Walk to Cure Diabetes Elite Principal Partners are Advance Auto Parts, Ford Motor Company, and Marshall’s. The JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes Principal Partners include Hy-Vee, Roche Accu-Chek, and Walgreens.

 JDRF’s Walk to Cure Diabetes Local Sponsors are Lakeview Center, WEAR ABC 3, WFGX 35, Baptist Health Care, Cox, Gulf Power, Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund, Granny Nannies, Cumulus Pensacola, Pensacola News Journal, and Sandy Sansing Dealerships.

About JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Driven by passionate, grassroots volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is now the largest charitable supporter of T1D research. The goal of JDRF research is to improve the lives of all people affected by T1D by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners who share this goal.

Since its founding in 1970, JDRF has awarded more than $1.6 billion to diabetes research. Past JDRF efforts have helped to significantly advance the care of people with this disease, and have expanded the critical scientific understanding of T1D. JDRF will not rest until T1D is fully conquered. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education.