Medibank Private served up a well-deserved escape from injections and insulin for sufferers of juvenile diabetes today by placing them in the firing line of a serve from Australian Open winner and No. 2 Swede Thomas Johansson, WTA No. 6 player Elena Dementieva and Aussie player Wayne Arthurs.
The internationally ranked tennis players, all of who are through to the second round of the Medibank International, shared not only their skills on the tennis court, but some insight into life as a professional athlete with 16 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Youth Ambassadors today at the Medibank International.
The clinic brought Johansson and Arthurs together - for a united cause - prior to them coming head to head against each other in the second round of the Medibank International.
Medibank Private has a long-standing relationship with JDRF to support programs and research that aim to find a cure for diabetes.
Medibank Private General Manager NSW, Mr Frank Levene said, "Our support extends to trying to improve the quality of life for sufferers of Type 1 diabetes who can face multiple injections of insulin a day, for the rest of their lives, just to stay alive."
"We thought the unique opportunity to experience a training session with international and national tennis stars at an event that unites the sporting talent and determination of so many elite athletes was one that these kids deserved," Mr Levene said.
Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented or managed by diet or other lifestyle choices alone. It is not caused by children eating too much sugar or not exercising, and children do not grow out of it. It is now one of the most common chronic diseases in children, occurring more often than cancer, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy combined.
The Medibank International is one of Sydney's significant annual sporting events, running from January 9th -15th 2005. Tickets available through Ticketek 02 9266 4800 or www.ticketek.com.
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For further information please contact:
Libby Woolnough - Media Relations Adviser, Medibank Private
PH: 03) 8622 5181 / 0411 659 060
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