McKesson Corporation and the American Diabetes Association Team Up to Help Stop Diabetes
Spirit of Volunteerism Comes to Life as 32,000 Stop DiabetesSM Packages Are Distributed to Elementary School Students in Communities Across the Country During National Volunteer Week
Apr 19, 2010 4:30 PM ET
(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) SAN FRANCISCO, CA - April 19, 2010 — McKesson Corporation, the nation’s largest healthcare services and information technology company, is supporting the American Diabetes Association in their movement to Stop Diabetes by helping to raise awareness among school children of the seriousness of type 2 diabetes. As part of the company's 12th annual McKesson Community Days corporate citizenship program, McKesson employee volunteers from more than 130 McKesson sites across the country will come together to create more than 32,000 Stop Diabetes care packages for fourth and fifth grade students at local schools. McKesson and the Association’s Stop Diabetes care packages are intended to encourage elementary school students to adopt healthier eating habits and more active lifestyles.
Diabetes currently affects nearly 24 million Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), one in three American children born today will develop diabetes in their lifetime if current trends continue. The American Diabetes Association’s Stop Diabetes movement is a concerted effort to inspire and mobilize Americans to help change the future of this deadly disease.
“Our goal is to raise diabetes awareness in communities across the country so we can put a stop to this growing epidemic in America,” said Larry Hausner, chief executive officer of the American Diabetes Association. “We’re pleased to have the help of McKesson’s employees in getting the Stop Diabetes movement messages out to elementary school children across the country. One in five public health dollars in the United Sates are currently being spent on care for people with diabetes, so efforts to like this one to empower patients to take more control of their health and wellness will have a big impact on the future of healthcare in America.”
Through its partnership with the American Diabetes Association’s Stop Diabetes movement, McKesson will create more than 32,000 Stop Diabetes care packages that will include items such as jump ropes, pedometers, water bottles, frisbees, and customized comic books designed by the Association to encourage elementary school students to prevent type 2 diabetes by adopting healthier eating habits and more active lifestyles.
"McKesson is proud to mobilize its 32,000 employee volunteers to support the American Diabetes Association's efforts to prevent type 2 diabetes, said Pat Blake, executive vice president and group president of McKesson's Technology Solutions business. "As the largest healthcare services and IT company in the country, McKesson has always been a driver of healthcare improvements that increase the quality of care while bringing costs down for patients. In the face of a growing diabetes epidemic in America, we're committed to using both our professional expertise and volunteer efforts to change the course of this disease in our communities. "
About McKesson Community Days
During McKesson’s Community Days, McKesson employees come together at sites across the country to participate in a large-scale group volunteer project. The package build program will occur nationwide in more than 130 McKesson locations including: Tolleson, AZ; San Francisco and Fresno CA; Westminster CO; Orlando, FL; Alpharetta, GA; Indianapolis, IN; Grand Rapids, MI; Kansas City, MO; Oklahoma City, OK; Durham, NC; Pittsburgh, PA; Memphis and Nashville, TN; Grapevine, TX; and Vancouver, WA.
Through the Company’s Corporate Citizenship initiatives, McKesson is committed to inspiring employees to invest in local communities and care for our planet. Employee volunteer service during McKesson’s Community Days is a demonstration of the Company’s ICARE core values – integrity, customer first, accountability, respect, and excellence; furthering McKesson’s belief that a commitment to good corporate citizenship is a fundamental part of creating sustained value for both society and the company.
For more information about McKesson Community Days and McKesson’s Corporate Citizenship initiatives including multimedia materials, visit McKesson’s Community Days online press kit at www.mckesson.com/communitydays2010
About McKesson Corporation
McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 14th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson has been in continuous operation for more than 175 years, making it the longest-operating company in healthcare today. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit www.mckesson.com
About the American Diabetes Association
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. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.
Contact:
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Anna Ichel Buxbaum
McKesson Public Relations
Phone: 415.983.9307
Email: anna.buxbaum@mckesson.com
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