Global Diabetes Non-Profit Beyond Type 1 Celebrates World Diabetes Day With Guiness World Record Attempt

 2018-11-14

MENLO PARK, CA—November 14th, 2018— Global non-profit Beyond Type 1 is celebrating Sir Frederick Banting’s 127th birthday with a digital birthday party for World Diabetes Day, on Wednesday, November 14th. A coalition of almost 50 organizations has banded together to attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most contributions to an e-greeting card. The card can be signed at BantingsBirthday.org.

The number to beat is 65,402, set by Chevrolet, SAIC-GM (China) in Shanghai in 2017. Card contributions for this week’s World Record attempt will be Happy Birthday wishes to Frederick Banting, who is credited with discovering insulin—a life saving medication for millions of people with insulin-dependent diabetes (both type 1 and type 2).

Prior to Banting and his partner’s discovery of insulin for therapeutic use, a type 1 diabetes diagnosis was a death sentence. Since their groundbreaking 1921 discovery, millions of lives have been saved and continue to be saved every day thanks to Sir Frederick Banting and his team.

The digital birthday party and e-greeting card are hosted by Beyond Type 1 on BantingsBirthday.org. “Party guests” and Banting fans will be able to sign his digital birthday card, enter to receive party favors and read stories about the Nobel Prize winner. The community is also invited to make a $1 donation in honor of the sales price of the original patent, emphasizing Banting’s belief that insulin belonged to the world.

The World Record attempt for Banting’s Birthday will be shared by a robust list of nonprofit and corporate partners including 1MD, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, CarbDM, Children With Diabetes, Companion Medical, ConnecT1D, Children and Young People’s Diabetes Network Wales, Dexcom, Diabetes NSW, Diabetes NZ, Diabetes Queensland, Diabetes Research Connections, Diabetes Research Institute, Diabetes Sisters, Diabetes Strong, Diabetes Daily, Diabetic Supply UK, Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, Dr. Comfort, Dr.’s Remedy, Genteel, Honey Stinger, The Human Trial, Life For a Child, Livongo, Mannkind, MedAngel, Medtronic Diabetes, Myabetic, MySugr, No Small Voice, NPM, OneDrop, Rhone, Sonia Nabeta Foundation, SpiBelt, Sproutel, Sun Basket, T1D Exchange, Tandem Diabetes Care, Tidepool, Generation UCAN and We Are Diabetes.

For more information on Sir Frederick Banting, on the celebration, and to help break the world record, visit BantingsBirthday.org.

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About Beyond Type 1: Founded in 2015, Beyond Type 1 is leveraging the power of social media and technology, changing what it means to live with a chronic disease. By educating the global community about this autoimmune disease, as well as providing resources and supporting those living with type 1 diabetes, Beyond Type 1 is bridging the gap from diagnosis to cure, empowering people to live well today and funding a better tomorrow.