Press release

The American Diabetes Association® Celebrates Milestone of Novo Nordisk's Support for the 5K@ADA: 15 Years Running

May 7, 2020 | Arlington, Virginia
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The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and Novo Nordisk, one of the world's leading companies in diabetes management and long-time supporter of the ADA, announce the transition of their 15-year signature 5K@ADA Run/Walk event to a virtual challenge. The 5K@ADA has been an official event during the Scientific Sessions for 15 years and has brought together over 13,400 participants. Through the continued support of Novo Nordisk, the 5K@ADA Virtual Challenge is free of charge to all participants. Everyone is encouraged to sign up, lace up and head out the door, right from their home over the weekend of June 12-14, coinciding with the ADA Virtual Scientific Sessions.

“The American Diabetes Association is grateful to our friends at Novo Nordisk for joining forces with us to meet our mission,” said Tracey D. Brown, CEO of the American Diabetes Association. “Events like the 5K@ADA help us remain connected to members our community, it also encourages regular physical activity which is an important part of better diabetes management.” 

“This is a big year for us at the ADA. We are celebrating several milestones: our 80th Scientific Sessions and the 15th anniversary of Novo Nordisk’s 5K@ADA run/walk event. I challenge the ADA Scientific Sessions community and all ADA members to participate in the 5K@ADA Virtual Challenge.”

The diabetes community is resilient, COVID-19 won’t stop us from thriving. Together we are connected for life.

To mark the 15th anniversary of Novo Nordisk’s support of the 5K@ADA, the ADA published the 5K@ADA mobile app on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Complete with interactive experiences, including training plans for walking and running, a selfie station and social media integration, the 5K@ADA app has all the information to participate in the Virtual Challenge. 

“Together with ADA, we are pleased to announce the 5K@ADA Virtual Challenge. We had hoped to gather in Chicago and celebrate several milestones with ADA: the 80th Scientific Sessions and the 15th anniversary of Novo Nordisk’s partnership with the 5K@ADA,” said Thomas Thestrup-Terp, VP of Commercial Operation, Novo Nordisk. “While we won’t be gathering in person, I know that we will gather in spirit.”

“However, I know that the ADA Scientific Sessions community will mobilize and take on this 5K@ADA Virtual Challenge,” said Thestrup-Terp. “Together, we will run and walk in our home cities and demonstrate how resilient we are as a community. I encourage each person to encourage one person in their home city to take this Virtual Challenge and help us grow the community who are raising diabetes awareness worldwide. Together with the ADA, we need to lead by example and reinforce the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle.”

Physical activity, including walking, is an important tool in diabetes management, which helps people living with diabetes lead healthier lives. For the more than 122 million Americans with diabetes and prediabetes, it takes perseverance to live with and manage their health on a daily basis. The 5K@ADA Virtual Challenge brings together people across the globe to emphasize the need for increased physical activity to help prevent diabetes and diabetes complications. This disease awareness activity provides participants with the opportunity to raise public awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle in preventing and controlling diabetes.

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About the 5K@ADA Virtual Challenge
Join ADA and Novo Nordisk for the 5K@ADA Virtual Challenge anytime during June 12 - 14, 2020. The 5K@ADA Virtual Challenge brings together people across the globe and ADA members and Scientific Sessions attendees to emphasize the need for increased physical activity to help prevent diabetes and diabetes complications. Take the first step towards a healthier lifestyle by registering at ada5k.com or visiting Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Download the free 5K@ADA mobile app to connect with the 5K@ADA community from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.  

About Novo Nordisk 
Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company that's been making innovative medicines to help people with diabetes lead longer, healthier lives for 95 years. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious diseases including obesity, hemophilia and growth disorders. We remain steadfast in our conviction that the formula for lasting success is to stay focused, think long-term and do business in a financially, socially and environmentally responsible way. With U.S. headquarters in New Jersey and production and research facilities in six states, Novo Nordisk employs nearly 6,000 people throughout the country. For more information, visit novonordisk.us, Facebook, Instagram  and Twitter.

About the American Diabetes Association
Every day more than 4,000 people are newly diagnosed with diabetes in America. More than 122 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes and are striving to manage their lives while living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For nearly 80 years the ADA has been driving discovery and research to treat, manage and prevent diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. We help people with diabetes thrive by fighting for their rights and developing programs, advocacy and education designed to improve their quality of life. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).