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Death Valley, CA, October 15, 2009 -- Mikey Teutel from the TLC's hit reality series "American Chopper" will ride amid the breathtaking scenery of Death Valley for the 9th annual JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes on Oct. 15-18, 2009 to raise funds for research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes, the most serious and devastating form of the disease. He will be joined by more than 200 other cyclists who have signed up to help JDRF meet the national fundraising goal of $4.5 million. His participation in the Ride will be filmed on location in Death Valley, and will be featured in an episode of "American Chopper" set to air in November. For more information on the show, go to TLC.com.
"I am thrilled to be a part of this great way to raise awareness and funds for type 1 diabetes research," said Mikey Teutel, the youngest of the Teutel family whose family business, Orange County Choppers, is the basis for the show. "Diabetes is an issue for all of us, so I am riding hoping that a cure can be found soon." Teutel, who had a friend with type 1 diabetes, is hoping to accomplish riding 36 miles.
The Ride to Cure Diabetes route in Death Valley will entail about 100 miles of rolling hills and steep mountains, including Badwater, which at 282 feet below sea level is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. Riders can cycle 30-, 62-, or the entire 100-mile route.
"The Ride is rewarding and powerful on many levels," said Tim St. Clair, National Head Coach for the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes. "Riders are so committed to JDRF's mission to find a cure, and we are excited to have Mikey and "American Chopper" on hand for this event to help us accomplish this mission."
In exchange for reaching the fundraising goal for each Ride, JDRF will provide: expert coaching and training by USA Cycling certified coaches; round-trip airfare to the ride location; three nights hotel accommodations; transportation to and from the destination airport; all bike transportation and maintenance during the ride; Ride to Cure Diabetes cycling jersey; Finisher's T-shirt and medal; and scheduled training rides and events.
Anyone 18 years of age and older who can raise the minimum fundraising requirement can participate in the Ride; riders between 13 and 18 can participate with a signed consent from parent or guardian. There is also a $100 registration fee. For more information on registration, deadlines, and fundraising requirements, please visit the JDRF Ride to Cure web site at http://ride.jdrf.org/
This is the ninth year that the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes is a national event, attracting both experienced and novice riders from across the United States, and held in various locations throughout the country. The increasingly-growing Ride was started by a handful of JDRF Chapters with only 25 riders.
About type 1 diabetes
Every year, more than 15,000 children are diagnosed with type 1 (or juvenile) diabetes, a chronic autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin -- a hormone that enables people to turn food into energy. Type 1 diabetes usually strikes in childhood or adolescence, and is most often diagnosed before the age of 30. To stay alive, people with type-1 diabetes must take multiple insulin injections daily or continually infuse insulin through a pump and test their blood sugar. As many as 3 million Americans have type 1 diabetes.
About JDRF
JDRF is a leader in setting the agenda for diabetes research worldwide, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of type 1 research. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 diabetes is a disease which strikes children and adults suddenly and requires multiple injections of insulin daily or a continuous infusion of insulin through a pump. Insulin, however, is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its eventual and devastating complications which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation.
Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.3 billion to diabetes research, including more than $156 million in FY2008. In FY2008 the Foundation funded more than 1,000 centers, grants and fellowships in 22 countries.
