Welcome new members! - March, 13 2012

We are thrilled to have you as part of the Insulindependence family! Please be aware that development on Phrendo and the DESA forum and have currently been put on hold. We are working with a third-party website that we expect to serve as a virtual meeting ground for our members in the future. You will be notified and granted access when the process is complete. In the meantime, please continue to use Phrendo to dialog about diabetes and exercise with fellow Insulindependence Members and contribute to the growth of an informed diabetes community!

PRESS RELEASE: Insulindependence and the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association Merge - March 12, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Insulindependence and the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association Merge (San Diego, CA) March 12, 2012 – Insulindependence announced today its formal merger with the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association (DESA). The organizations have operated independently since 2005 to provide exercise-related resources for people living with diabetes. With more than 3,000 combined members, they will now become North America’s largest nonprofit public benefit organization focused on diabetes and exercise. Under the merger agreement, DESA will transfer its business registration and marketing assets to Insulindependence. DESA’s mission and legacy programs will continue and be carried out from San Diego, through Insulindependence’s corporate headquarters. “This is a landmark achievement for everyone in diabetes,” stated Peter Nerothin, Founder and President of Insulindependence. “DESA’s longstanding history is a perfect match for Insulindependence’s developing program infrastructure. We’ve been humbled by DESA’s contributions to diabetes over the past 27 years, and will be honored to carry the torch forward by continuing to develop new standards in diabetes management.” "We at DESA are thrilled and looking forward to working into the Insulindependence story and becoming part of this great organization,” said DESA Founder Paula Harper. Insulindependence is currently represented in 20 chapter cities, where volunteers are trained to lead cost-free community fitness events and will be working to increase that number to more than 30 chapter cities in 2012 with the support from former DESA volunteers. “The entire DESA community has been overwhelmingly supportive throughout the process,” said Nerothin. “We’re doing our best to maintain high levels of energy and enthusiasm so we can continue to reach more people, and ultimately demonstrate that we’re improving public health in the communities we serve.” In addition to providing local chapter gatherings, Insulindependence will continue to offer regional and national events, youth mentor programs, scholarship awards for youth and transitioning teens, online resources, volunteer training and more. According to Nerothin, “Our grassroots network is a great complement to clinical healthcare. Anyone with questions about managing diabetes through exercise is welcome to get involved. It’s really simple—just show up.” ### About Insulindependence: Insulindependence (IN) is a San Diego-based 501(c)3 nonprofit public benefit corporation. Their mission is to inspire people with diabetes to set personal fitness goals, educate them on adaptive management strategies through hands-on-experience, and equip them to explore their individual capacities. IN’s staff and volunteers serve thousands of U.S. program participants annually in an effort to revolutionize diabetes management. For more information please visit: www.insulindependence.org and refer to the merger FAQ: http://www.insulindependence.org/about/DESAMergerFAQ.html