Part of Larger Communications Initiative by Entertainment Industries Council and Novo Nordisk 
Reston, VA (September 27, 2011) -- The Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC), a non-profit organization that deals with important health and social issues, and Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care, have partnered with Stephen Wallem on a diabetes campaign entitled Picture This: Diabetes to increase awareness and to encourage better management of the disease. A new TV PSA featuring the actor is a central focus of the campaign and is currently being distributed to broadcast stations and cable outlets throughout the country, as well as to online media.
Diabetes, a growing epidemic that affects over 26 million Americans, is a serious health condition that if left untreated, can result in adverse health outcomes, including stroke, kidney disease, high blood pressure, blindness, nerve problems and amputations. According to the CDC, 7 million diabetics are undiagnosed. In addition to the health implications, diabetes is also an economic burden, currently estimated at a total cost of $218 billion, one of the costliest diseases in America. Due to its projected course and cost, educating the public on prevention, early detection, and proper management of diabetes is an important national issue.
Stephen Wallem is both a person living with non-preventable Type 1 diabetes and an actor portraying a character with diabetes on the Showtime television series Nurse Jackie. He has enthusiastically joined the diabetes campaign in hopes that his compelling personal story will reach a greater audience. Expressing concern over public misunderstandings of diabetes, Wallem believes that being a campaign ambassador for Picture This: Diabetes will educate individuals about the challenges and proper management of diabetes.
The PSAs are part of a larger initiative to involve national and local media in a dialogue that informs the public about diabetes.
About Entertainment Industries Council
EIC, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1983 by leaders of the entertainment industry to bring the power of the industry to bear on communication about health and social issues. The organization is considered to be the chief pioneer of entertainment advocacy outreach and one of the premiere success stories in the field of entertainment education and information resources for entertainment creators, through innovative and time-proven services and methods of "encouraging the art of making a difference" from within the entertainment industry. EIC also produces the simulcast national television special PRISM Awards Showcase which addresses accurate portrayals of substance abuse and mental illness: prevention treatment and recovery.
EIC also addresses issues such as diabetes, ADHD, foster care, women's health, firearm safety and injury prevention, sun safety and skin cancer prevention, human trafficking, terrorism and homeland security, eating disorders and obesity, seat belt use and traffic safety, and HIV/AIDS prevention. It has also launched an initiative to increase the public profile and interest in science, engineering and technology. EIC’s web site is www.eiconline.org. The PRISM Awards web site is www.prismawards.com.
About Novo Nordisk
Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 87 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within hemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. For more information, visit novonordisk-us.com.
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Media Contact
Skylar Zwick, EIC 703-481-1414, szwick@eiconline.org
Larry Deutchman, EIC 818-840-2016, ldeutch@eiconline.org
