Cyclists Make Triumphant Return from Death Valley, Calif. JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes

Were among more than 250 from Around the Country who Raised Nearly $1 Million for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International

(New York, NY) - Fresh and still reeling from a trip that allowed them to participate in an amazing event they will always remember, 253 cycling enthusiasts from throughout the country each returned home after converging on the exotic rolling hills and steep mountains of Death Valley, Calif., and raised nearly $1 million for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) during the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes 2002 held October 24 to 27. The money was raised for research to find a cure for diabetes and its complications. This year's 105-mile Ride, sponsored by Olivio Premium Products based in Boston, was finished first by an individual who has type 1 diabetes!

The riders, who even experienced the rare phenomenon of rain in the desert, came together for the common cause of putting type 1 diabetes, the most serious and deadly form of diabetes afflicting nearly 1 million Americans, under their wheels.

This is the second year that the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes was a national event, attracting both experienced and novice riders from all regions of the United States. The ever-growing Ride, in its fifth year overall, was started by a handful of JDRF Chapters with 25 riders mostly from the Mid-West.

To participate in the Ride, each cyclist had to raise a minimum of $3,000. JDRF staff was available to provide fund-raising guidance to help participants reach their goal. Riders from beginners to experts chose from 36-, 62-, or 105-mile routes. All travel, bike transportation, lodging at Death Valley's Furnace Creek Ranch, and meals were covered for the duration of the Ride trip.

JDRF, the world's leading nonprofit, nongovernmental funder of diabetes research, was founded in 1970 by the parents of children with juvenile diabetes-a disease which strikes children suddenly, makes them insulin dependent for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. Since inception, JDRF has provided more than $600 million to diabetes research worldwide. In a typical year, 85 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and education about research. JDRF's mission is constant: to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. For more information about the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes, visit www.jdrf.org, or call 800-533-2873.

Nichell Taylor Bryant
National Manager, Media Relations
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International
120 Wall Street, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10005
Direct: 212-479-7524 or
1-800-533-CURE,ext 524
Fax: 212-785-9595