Ironman Competitor Finds Strength in Diabetes Shoppe Pharmacist
VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Diabetes Shoppe has teamed up
with Andy "Iron Andy" Holder to motivate people to properly manage their
disease so they can live without limits. As part of the "Managing Diabetes:
Living Without Limits" campaign, Iron Andy will embark on an inspirational
tour by participating in athletic events nationwide and speaking about living
with diabetes as an Ironman competitor. Diabetes Shoppe, located in over 1,100
community pharmacies across the country, offers education, products, and daily
support for people with diabetes.
Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2005 at age 36, Andy Holder was
determined not to let the disease hold him back. An athlete all his life, he
decided to take control of his diabetes and inspire others by becoming an
Ironman competitor. As an Ironman, Andy must swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles
and run a full marathon of 26.2 miles. Andy's endocrinologist, Certified
Diabetes Educator (CDE) and local Diabetes Shoppe pharmacist help him safely
manage his disease during extreme training and competition.
"With the support of my healthcare team, I am able to manage a disease
that could have limited my ability to live my life the way I wanted," said
Andy. "Because I am dealing with diabetes around the clock and learning new
things every day about managing the disease, I could not train successfully
for the Ironman without the knowledge, accessibility and emotional support of
my Diabetes Shoppe pharmacist."
Diabetes Shoppes, located within select independent pharmacies, offer
education, products, and daily support for people with diabetes to help manage
their disease.
"Poor diabetes management can put patients at a greater risk for serious
complications such as kidney disease, blindness and stroke or premature death.
Patients should work with a healthcare team to control the disease and lower
their risk of complications," says Jerry Meece, RPh, FACA, CDE, Diabetes
Shoppe pharmacist, Plaza Pharmacy and Wellness Center. "Andy is a great role
model to remind diabetes patients that disease management is not only
important to staying healthy and active, but is key to reaching lifestyle
goals."
Iron Andy completed his first Ironman on July 23, 2006 in Lake Placid,
N.Y., and plans to kick off the 2006 - 2007 leg of the "Managing Diabetes:
Living Without Limits" campaign tour on Nov. 12 in Miami, Fla. where he will
compete in the Miami Man Half Triathlon.
The "Managing Diabetes: Living Without Limits" campaign continues with
the following racing schedule:
-- Miami Man Half Triathlon, Miami, Fla. -- Nov. 12, 2006
-- Ironman 70.3, Oceanside, Ca. -- March 31, 2007
-- Rock and Roll Half Marathon, Nashville, Tenn. -- April 28, 2007
-- Ironman 70.3, Orlando, Fla. -- May 20, 2007
-- Ironman Visit, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho -- June 24, 2007
-- ADA Tour deCure, Kansas City, Mo. -- June 2007
-- Ironman 70.3, Benton Harbor, Mich. -- August 2007
-- JDRF Tour, Asheville, NC -- September 2007
-- LA Triathlon, Los Angeles, Calif. -- September 2007
-- Try Andy's Tri, Sugarland, Texas -- October 2007
For more information on the "Managing Diabetes: Living Without Limits"
campaign or Diabetes Shoppe, visit http://www.diabetes-shoppe.com . Campaign
information is also available at local Diabetes Shoppes.
About the Diabetes Shoppe
The Diabetes Shoppe, a program offered by AmerisourceBergen, is located
within select independent pharmacies and offers diabetes patients quality
products, individualized service and convenient access to trained diabetes
professionals. There are currently 1,110 Diabetes Shoppes across the United
States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, found primarily in participating
Good Neighbor Pharmacies. To locate a pharmacy with a Diabetes Shoppe, visit
http://www.diabetes-shoppe.com .
About AmerisourceBergen
AmerisourceBergen (NYSE: ABC) is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical
services companies serving the United States, Canada and selected global
markets. Servicing both pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers
in the pharmaceutical supply channel, the Company provides drug distribution
and related services designed to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes.
AmerisourceBergen's service solutions range from pharmacy automation and
pharmaceutical packaging to pharmacy services for skilled nursing and assisted
living facilities, reimbursement and pharmaceutical consulting services, and
physician education. With more than $59 billion in annualized revenue,
AmerisourceBergen is headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, and employs more than
13,000 people. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #27 on the Fortune 500
list. For more information, go to http://www.amerisourcebergen.com .
SOURCE AmerisourceBergen
CONTACT:
Claire Galligan of AmerisourceBergen
+1-610-727-2441
or cgalligan@amerisourcebergen.com
or
Audra Jacobs of Bader Rutter & Associates
for AmerisourceBergen
+1-262-938-5462,
or ajacobs@bader-rutter.com
Web site:
http://www.diabetes-shoppe.com
http://www.amerisourcebergen.com
(ABC)