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At a ceremony yesterday, Novo Nordisk presented the journalists Xuemei Zhang from China and Jaume Vilalta i Casas from Spain with the Novo Nordisk Media Prize 2008 for the best article and the best TV feature about diabetes, respectively.

The Chinese journalist Xuemei Zhang’s winning article, ‘Should Colleges Open the Door to Teenagers with Diabetes?’ was originally published in the Beijing Evening News, which is the capital’s largest-circulation newspaper. The article brings to light the issue of how college students tackle life with diabetes and explains how they are trying to achieve a better control of their disease while at the same time keeping it a secret. The article not only succeeded in raising awareness of the stigmas linked to diabetes, but also paved the way for concrete changes in the way colleges perceive students with diabetes.

 “I hope that everyone with diabetes will one day be able to enjoy a normal life with equal access to education – even before a cure is found,” says Xuemei Zhang.

In the category of Best TV Feature, Jaume Vilalta i Casas from Spain won for his entry ‘Diabetes: Cuando el dulce amarga’ (Diabetes: when sweets are bitter). The feature was originally broadcast on the TV programme Quéquicom, televised on Channel 33 for TVC in Catalonia, Spain. Jaume Vilalta i Casas was inspired to create the feature after having a discussion with a doctor from a Barcelona hospital. This gave him the personal motivation to focus one of his programmes on diabetes and to inform and educate the public about the seriousness of the disease.

“I realised the magnitude of the diabetes problem and felt that I would be able to generate audience interest in this silent pandemic. The frightening thing is that anyone can have it without knowing,” says Jaume Vilalta i Casas.

The Novo Nordisk Media Prize, which is supported by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), recognises journalists who through excellent journalism have helped increase public awareness of diabetes. The prize has been awarded annually since 2003 and is one of Novo Nordisk’s many global initiatives in an effort to play an active role in the diabetes fight and debate. Currently, 246 million people are living with the disease on a global scale and the IDF predicts that this number could rise to 280 million people by 2025 if we do not take action now.

“We believe that to ultimately reach our goal of defeating diabetes, it is essential to raise worldwide awareness through communication initiatives such as the Media Prize. The media plays a crucial role in informing and educating the public about the enormous impact diabetes has on the individual as well as on society,” says Lise Kingo, executive vice president and chief of staffs at Novo Nordisk.

This year Novo Nordisk received submissions from 32 local journalists representing 20 different countries. An independent international jury selected the two winning pieces for their unique approach to important issues and for delivering often complicated issues in an interesting, dynamic and compelling way. In addition to the honour of winning the award, each of the winners receives a prize of 12,000 euros.

For more information about the Novo Nordisk Media Prize, please visit: press/media-prize.asp

Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company and a world leader in diabetes care. In addition, Novo Nordisk has a leading position within areas such as haemostasis management, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy. Novo Nordisk manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products. With headquarters in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 26,300 employees in 80 countries, and markets its products in 179 countries. Novo Nordisk’s B shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Copenhagen and London. Its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ‘NVO’. For more information, visit novonordisk.com.

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