NSIS Diabetes Doesn’t Cramp Champion Swimmer’s Style (NAPSA)—When he wasdiagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, gold medal swimmer Gary Hall Jr. was told that he would never swim at the world-class level again. But it turned out to be a stroke of good fortune when Hall met a doctor who helped him work out a program that included monitoring his blood sugar levels eight to 10 times a day. Five months later, Hall scored the best time of his career at the U.S. national championships. Spurred on by this personal victory, Hall went on to qualify for the U.S. swim team that would go to Sydney; and in doing so, he set a new American record in the 50meter freestyle (21.76 seconds). This gave him his first glimmerof hope that winning the gold might once again be within his grasp. At the 2000 Sydney games, Hall won the gold in the 50-meter freestyle. He also swam with his team to a world record in the 4x100 medley relay. All told, Hall took home four medals—two gold, one silver and one bronze. “Winning was personally rewarding because I’ve had to overcome so much,” said Hall, who views diabetes less as a “disease” and more as a “condition” to be managed. There are an estimated 16 million Americans with diabetes. Hall’s advice: “Learn all you can about how to manage diabetes and check your blood sugar level often. Testing three or four times a day may seem like a nuisance, butit’s nothing compared to losing your sight, your feet or the use of your kidneys.” To help keep his own blood sugar level in check, Hall tests himself several times a day with the ONE TOUCH?Ultra Blood Gold medal swimmer Gary Hall Jr. is proof that good diabetes management can help people with diabetes realize their dreams. Glucose Monitoring System from LifeScan. This new system makes testing significantly less painful by providing an alternative to traditional fingerstick testing. It requires such a tiny drop of blood that people can test on the arm, where there are fewer nerve endings. It also provides clinically accurate results in just five seconds. “With today’s faster, more convenient, and less painful technology, there’s no reason for people to avoid testing and controlling their blood sugar,” says Hall. “I’m living proof of what’s possible if you don’t let diabetes prevent you from living your dreams.” For more information about diabetes and how to manageit, visit www.LifeScan.com or call 1- 800-227-8862. ween eee Bg eee nnn enn n nnn nnn n nnn - enn -Editors Note:This is the eighth in a series of ten stories on the managementof diabetes, a disease affecting nearly 16 million Americans.
