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Community Corner

LOCAL RESIDENT, LISA VENDITTI, RIDING TO STOP DIABETES AT THE ANNUAL TOUR DE CURE

Tewksbury resident, Lisa Venditti, will be taking part in The American Diabetes Association’s movement to Stop Diabetes® by riding in the annual Tour de Cure®. This cycling event is happening on Sunday, May 18, 2014 at the Topsfield Fairgrounds in Topsfield, MA to help raise funds to change the future of diabetes and help stop this devastating disease.

Lisa’s involvement began 8 years ago when she first began participating in rides dedicated to medical research and treatment of cancer, Alzheimer’s, and multiple sclerosis. “I think it is very important to give back if you are lucky enough to be in a position to do so,” Lisa says. Lisa is connected to diabetes due to the significant  toll it’s taken on her family—her sister has it, her father suffered loss of vision because of it, and a few of her aunts had it. While she is very thankful to not be diagnosed with the disease, her sugar levels have been high enough for her to have to repeat blood tests and keep an eye on her health.

One of the primary reasons Lisa rides in the Tour de Cure is due to the lack of understanding and appreciation that people have for diabetes. “Too many think of it as a condition that is simply inconvenient and is handled by insulin. They don’t understand the magnitude of the impact it has.” Lisa explains. “People lose their eyesight, limbs, and even their lives because of diabetes and diabetes-related conditions. Yet many people think it’s not a big deal, you pp a pill or take a shot of insulin and you are fine. It’s not how it works… it’s not just an inconvenience.”

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Lisa has expressed her gratitude for those who help organize the Tour de Cure and make it happen! “It is incredibly well-run. It is large enough but yet small enough that the participants are people and not just a number or donation amount,” she describes. “”The people that run it have taken the time to answer my questions, respond to an email or a voicemail and genuinely care about the event.”

Tour de Cure is designed for anyone from the occasional to the experienced cyclist with routes from the 15-mile family rides to 100-mile Gran Fondo century rides. The routes will feature rest stops with food to fuel the journey and volunteers to cheer riders on.

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The Tour de Cure raises funds for the 26 million Americans living with diabetes through registration fees and pledges collected by the cyclists. To register, cyclists or volunteers can call the American Diabetes Association at 617-482-4580 ext. 3487 or visit us at www.diabetes.org/nsmedia.

The National sponsors of the Tour de Cure are Lilly Diabetes, Primal Wear, Go Macro, and Gold’s Gym. National Teams include Johnson & Johnson, WalMart, Lockheed Martin, Gold’s Gym, Cisco Systems, Dignity Memorial, Bio Rad, and more; Locally by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Summit Partners, Boston Scientific Corporation, and North Shore Magazine; and Regionally by Subaru of New England and Novo Nordisk.  Each Tour de Cure features a variety of routes.  The North Shore Tour de Cure routes include:

100 Mile Gran Fondo- This is an epic route including two timed segments for fantastic prizes, challenging climbs and a variety of terrain in Massachusetts and New Hampshire even reaching coastal views.

62 Mile Route- This challenging route travels through the beautiful North Shore and includes scenic countryside and local communities.

31 Mile Route- Riding this route, you will see picturesque North Shore landscapes with beautiful views and roads.

15 Mile Route- Great for avid and newer cyclists alike, this route will travel through charming North Shore countryside and accessible to all ages and fitness levels.

“When I finish riding in the Tour, I feel a sense of accomplishment and more importantly appreciate that I am lucky enough to enjoy good health and can contribute to those who are not as lucky,” Lisa says.

“Others should get involved because diabetes needs more publicity and understanding of what it is by those who are not directly affected by it. That raising money for the diabetes association is a more than worthy cause and you can personally have an impact,” she encourages.

To join Lisa in this year’s Tour de Cure, please visit www.diabetes.org/nsmedia to register. To visit Lisa’s personal page, please visit http://main.diabetes.org/goto/LisaVenditti.

 

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.

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For more information, please visit www.diabetes.org/nsmedia.

To schedule an interview with Lisa Venditti or other North Shore Tour de Cure riders, please contact Jackie at 617-482-4580 or by email at jbialer@diabetes.org.

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