Nick Jonas, 17, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 13 years old. He becomes the key figure for the largest fundraising program for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. In this role, Nick will help JDRF increase participation and fundraising in its annual Walks, held in more than 200 locations worldwide. Nearly 500,000 people took part in JDRF Walks last year, raising some $75 million. As the National Chair, Nick will attend events to support fundraising efforts as well as take part in promotional videos and television public service announcements for JDRF.
“As a person living day to day with diabetes and recognizing the tremendous contribution the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has done for our community, I couldn’t be more honored to serve as the National Chair for the Walk to Cure Diabetes,” says Nick Jonas.
“Having Nick Jonas as National Chair will go far towards raising awareness of type 1 diabetes, and what needs to be done to find a cure. Nick has been a wonderful role model for kids and adults with diabetes, and has been invaluable in bringing visibility to efforts to cure this disease,” said Leo Mullin, Chairman of Board of Directors for JDRF.
“We have seen the impact he has firsthand, when he demonstrated his commitment to support diabetes research through the Jonas Brothers’ Change for the Children Foundation, and when he testified in Congress for JDRF on the need for continued federal funding for research.”
In addition, Nick has helped raise diabetes awareness through his partnership with Bayer Diabetes Care. Last month, Bayer and Nick Jonas announced a new contest called “Give Back. Simply Win.” that encourages people with diabetes to share their stories about giving back, and rewards them for their charitable efforts. For more information on this contest, please visit www.nickssimplewins.com.
Nick succeeds actor and celebrity advocate Kevin Kline, who was National Chair of JDRF’s Walk to Cure Diabetes for the past four years.
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