Florian(left) and former NBA Basketball Player Chris Dudley(right). Chris was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1981 at the age of 16. He was drafted by the Cleveland Caveliers in '87 / '88 and played 16 years in the NBA for the Nets, Trail Blazers, and Knicks. He played in the '99 NBA Finals as a member of the NY Knicks
Florian (middle) and two role models: Guy Hornsby PhD (left), World Class Powerlifter and Exercise Physiologist at West Virginia University. Guy has been living with Type 1 diabetes for many years and is presently training the World Weight Lifting Championships and Doug Burns (right), former Mr Universe, Mr USA, and Type 1 diagnosed at age 17. He is the winner of 6 Powerlifting Championships.
Florian Menninger Jr, the leader/facilitator of the Diabetes Support Group, recently attended the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association (DESA) Conference in Boston at the Harvard Medical School Conference Center June 25 -28. The Conference draws and over 300 participants including scientists, clinicians, and patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and unites them in a forum of up-to-date lectures and workshops aimed at translating research into a practical tool box of clinical guidelines for active people with diabetes.
The theme of the conference this year was, “Bridging the Gap – Bringing the Sports Medicine and Diabetes Communities Together.” Amateur and professional athletes who spoke about their lives and achievements while living with diabetes. Chris Dudley NBA Basketball Player, Doug Burns Power Lifting Champion, Bruce Linton Iditarod Musher, Phil Southerland Cyclist and founder of Team Type 1 which competes in the Race Across America to name a few. Florian came home from the conference better educated, more motivated, and greatly inspired to manage his diabetes and control his blood sugars to prevent complications. His new goal is to stay healthy and fit so he can walk up to the podium at the Joslin Diabetes Center to get his Living with Type 1 Diabetes for 50 Years Medal. That should happen in 2017.
Florian is the leader/facilitator of the Diabetes Support Group that meets on the last Tuesday of each month at 1 pm in the Senior Center. (There are no meetings in July and Aug). The group will start again in September with a Diabetes Awareness Campaign and Membership Drive that will be kicked off at the AppleFest. There are tentative plans by the Group to Award a Prize in the AppleFest Baking Contest for the Best, Diabetes Friendly Baked Apple Product.
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