Local Red Rider, Gina Warner, is Getting Her Bike Ready to Be Part of the Stop Diabetes® Movement

Grafton resident, Gina Warner, will be taking part in The American Diabetes Association’s movement to Stop Diabetes® by riding in the annual Tour de Cure®. This cycling event is happening on Sunday, May 18, 2014 at the Topsfield Fairgrounds in Topsfield, MA to help raise funds to change the future of diabetes and help stop this devastating disease.

Gina rides in the Tour de Cure as a Red Rider. Red Riders are people with diabetes who are raising awareness of diabetes and raising money to stop diabetes by participating in American Diabetes Association-sponsored cycling events across the country. Representing people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, Red Riders know what it means to have diabetes and they want others to understand that diabetes is a serious disease that can have deadly consequences.

Gina’s involvement began 40 years ago when she was diagnosed with diabetes right before her first birthday. This will be her second year riding in the Tour de Cure, and she is very excited about it. “My favorite part of the Tour is the feeling that there are people in the world that care and understand what it is like to live with diabetes and they come out to show their support in many ways that day,” Gina says. “You feel surrounded by love, support, and friendship.”

Over the last 40 years, Gina has seen many advances in technology. She encourages those that are newly diagnosed to “Embrace today’s technologies, ask questions, and lean on others for support and you’ll be unstoppable. You are a person who happens to have diabetes, it does not define you, does not limit you or your ability to live life to its fullest.”

Tour de Cure is designed for anyone from the occasional to the experienced cyclist with routes from the 15-mile family rides to 100-mile Gran Fondo century rides. The routes will feature rest stops with food to fuel the journey and volunteers to cheer riders on.

The Tour de Cure raises funds for the 26 million Americans living with diabetes through registration fees and pledges collected by the cyclists. To register, cyclists or volunteers can call the American Diabetes Association at 617-482-4580 ext. 3487 or visit us at www.diabetes.org/nsmedia.

The National sponsors of the Tour de Cure are Lilly Diabetes, Primal Wear, Go Macro, and Gold’s Gym. National Teams include Johnson & Johnson, WalMart, Lockheed Martin, Gold’s Gym, Cisco Systems, Dignity Memorial, Bio Rad, and more; Locally by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Summit Partners, Boston Scientific Corporation, and North Shore Magazine; and Regionally by Subaru of New England and Novo Nordisk.  Each Tour de Cure features a variety of routes.  The North Shore Tour de Cure routes include:

100 Mile Gran Fondo- This is an epic route including two timed segments for fantastic prizes, challenging climbs and a variety of terrain in Massachusetts and New Hampshire even reaching coastal views.

62 Mile Route- This challenging route travels through the beautiful North Shore and includes scenic countryside and local communities.

31 Mile Route- Riding this route, you will see picturesque North Shore landscapes with beautiful views and roads.

15 Mile Route- Great for avid and newer cyclists alike, this route will travel through charming North Shore countryside and accessible to all ages and fitness levels.

“When I ride in the Tour de Cure, I feel empowered and unstoppable,” Gina says. She encourages everyone and anyone to get involved in the Tour de Cure. “Everyone knows someone whose life has been impacted by diabetes and the more active we are at raising funds, the faster a cure will be found,” she notes. “Riding as a Red Rider was an unbelievable experience and I loved cheering on other Red Riders as I rode the 60-Mile course.”

To join Gina in this year’s Tour de Cure, please visit www.diabetes.org/nsmedia to register. To visit Gina’s personal page, please visit http://main.diabetes.org/goto/warnerg.

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure, and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

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For more information please visit www.diabetes.org/nsmedia.

To schedule an interview with Gina Warner or other North Shore Tour de Cure riders, please contact Jackie at 617-482-4580 or by email at jbialer@diabetes.org.