Niki & David Levy to be honored at JDRF’s 44th Annual Promise Ball
Hosted by Emmy-nominated Writer, Comedian and host of Full Frontal on TBS, Samantha Bee
with Special Guest Appearances by the NFL Insider for ESPN, Adam Schefter and
NY Mets Commentator and World Series Champion, Ron Darling

New York, NY, November 1, 2016 – JDRF, the leading research and advocacy organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D), is excited to honor Niki and David Levy with the Humanitarian of the Year award on Tuesday, November 1 at its single largest fundraising event, the 44^th Annual Promise Ball at Cipriani 42^nd Street in New York City.

Mr. Levy is the president of Turner, overseeing the company’s leading portfolio of domestic entertainment, kids and young adult networks and businesses, including TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang, truTV and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Additionally, he leads advertising sales strategy and operations, affiliate sales, programming acquisitions, marketing promotion, interactive television and technology business development for the domestic Turner businesses, as well as CNN and HLN’s ad sales and affiliate sales and Turner Sports’ programming acquisitions, production, marketing, league relations and sports ad sales.

Niki and David’s journey with JDRF began in March of 2003 when their son Brett was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 11. Since the day of his diagnosis they have made it their mission to find a cure for T1D in their lifetime. They are active and generous supporters of numerous events, including the annual JDRF Golf Classic. Mr. Levy has chaired the golf event for the past 13 years and with his leadership it has become one of the leading golf tournaments in the country, raising more than $10 million to date.

“We are honored to be recognized at this year’s Promise Ball which is the backbone of JDRF’s fundraising efforts,” said Mrs. Levy. “Working with JDRF to create a better quality of life for Brett and others living with T1D, and most importantly, to find a cure remains our family’s most important goal.”

“I want to thank JDRF, the world’s leading non-profit dedicated to the fight against T1D. This organization means so much to me and my family,” said Mr. Levy. “JDRF’s work to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications is leading to significant advancements for those affected by this disease, but we will not stop until we have the ultimate dream — a cure.”

The Promise Ball, hosted by Emmy-nominated Writer, Comedian and host of Full Frontal on TBS, Samantha Bee, will feature a cocktail reception sponsored by Major League Baseball, dinner sponsored by Mt. Sinai, as well as a live and silent auction sponsored by Apollo Jets. This year’s event will also feature special appearances by NFL Insider for ESPN, Adam Schefter and NY Mets Commentator and World Series Champion, Ron Darling. Both will share personal T1D stories to encourage others to support diabetes research.

The New York Chapter’s Promise Ball is JDRF’s longest-running annual event and one of the city’s premiere occasions. Past honorees include Kevin Kline, Steve Ross, Barry Sternlicht, and Mary Tyler Moore.  Past performers include Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Kenny Rogers, Dennis Miller and Jon Stewart. More than 600 corporate, social, entertainment and media leaders are expected to attend this year in support of JDRF.

Proceeds from the event will go towards research and treatments for T1D. Through the years, the Promise Ball has raised more than $69 million for diabetes research worldwide, including more than $2 million last year.

For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, please visit www.nyc.jdrf.org/promiseball44 or contact Michael Mayberry at 212-478-4324, mmayberry@jdrf.org.

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About Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone people need to get energy from food. T1D strikes both children and adults and has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is currently nothing you can do to prevent it. People with T1D must regularly monitor their blood sugar level, inject or continually infuse insulin through a pump, and carefully balance their insulin doses with eating and daily activities throughout the day and night. However, insulin is not a cure for diabetes, and even with intensive disease management, a significant portion of the day is still spent with either high or low blood sugar levels, placing people with T1D at risk for devastating complications such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, and amputation.

About JDRF
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested nearly $2 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our six international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter: @JDRF.