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10 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, June 18, 2001

Photo courtesyot fear t a
TeamDAX journeys across America for diabetes

® Six medical school students Last Monday, the training finished
bike down the Lincoln Highway and the journey - which will take 8
weeks to finish, goes from San Fran-
to raise awareness and money sisco to New York and is expected to
raise $75,000 - begins.
By Maria Sprow The students, known as Team Dia-
Daily News Editor betes Awareness Xcountry, are geared
to bicycle across America.
For months, six Medical School "It began as an idea almost last
students trained and sweated before summer," said first year medical
setting out to raise money and school student Andrew Heyman.
awareness for diabetes, Forrest "Me and a good friend of mine start-
Gump style. ed talking about wanting to bicycle

Map courtesy of The LncoHgway Association
Team DAX will ride an average of 70 miles a day on the 3.500 mile-long Uncoln Highway, through 13 states in eight weeks.
Currently, the team Is scheduled to be riding through Eureka, Nevada.

across the country but not wanting
to do it without a cause."
Heyman said they chose diabetes
because the team members all had
experience with the disease, either
through family members who have
it or through work they have done
with diabetes patients.
According to the American Dia-
betes Association, diabetes is a dis-
ease where the body does not
recognize or cannot produce
insulin, the hormone that converts
sugar into energy.
Diabetes can be a very difficult
disease to manage, and people with
the disease might have to take daily
insulin shots or diabetes pills in
addition to closely watching what
and when they eat.
The disease can cause high blood
PJ'S
RECORDS &
USED CDS

sugar levels, which can harm the extensively for the ride in Ann
kidneys and heart, so patients must Arbor, taking 40 mile bike rides
test their during the week
blood sugar UJGAR SHOCK and "long rides"
le ve eof60 to I
daily, DIABETES FACTS miles on the
since weekends, it is
the body ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN starting to take
cannot regu- its toll on the
late it itself. DIABETES ASSOCIATION: cyclists, who
"Ultimate- t did not have the
ly the pur- NEARLY 16 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE landscape need-
pose is a ed to train for
media event APPROXIMATELY ONE OUT OF THREE all the trip's
to raise PEOPLE WITH DIABETES ARE UNAWARE OF obstacles.
awareness for THEIR CONDITION. "We had 10
diabetes ... mile climbs y
it's a kickoff ®DIABETES PATIENTS ARE2 TO 4 TIMES terday and they
to raise MORE LIKELY TO HAVE HEART DISEASE OR take hours,"
money for the TO SUFFER A STROKE. Heyman said. "I
endowment U®DIABETES IS THE SEVENTH LEADNG was as prepared
for research CAUSE OF DEATHIN THE NATION, THE as I could be
and education SIXTH MOST DEADLY DISEASE. and you get fit-
p r o j e cts ter along the
through the ® EAC AY APPROXIM1ATELY 2,200 way. Everybody
University of PEOPLE ARE DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES.
M i c h i g a n," U EACH YEAR, FROM 12,000 TO 24,000 different le
said Medical PEOPLE LOSE THEIR SIGHT BECAUSE OF of fitness, bul
School stu- DIABETES. everybody is
dent and making it and
cyclist Barbara Behling, who was a we're all supporting each other."
competitive swimmer for 10 years. Heyman said he trained for the
Throughout the trip, which will ride as often as he could while still
follow the Lincoln Highway, the in school.
cyclists will stop by various diabetes "I think I probably trained as
centers and hospitals to talk to doc- much as I could have because I an
tors and patients. a medical student and had to main-
"We're taking the path less trav- tain that other life," he added.
eled by so the clinics we'll be hit- Behling said the mountains p
ting are rural or small town and vide the biggest challenge for a
have limited resources," Behling team, since none of the members
said. have experience with them.
"It's an opportunity for them to "It's something to go 40, 50 miles
get more visibility," she added. a day, but to actually go 70 miles
So far, the team has been to Sut- day through the mountains ... mos
ter Memorial Hospital in Sacramen- people have no concept," Behling
to. Their next stop will be at Salt said.
Lake City, Utah tomorrow. Current- Heyman said that although he
ly, the team is trudging through the feels the trip is worth all the wo
hills of Nevada, having already rid- he's not sure if he'll be ready
den through California and past bicycle across country again any.
Reno. time soon.
"We're pretty excited, we made it "Ask me when I'm in New York
past the first state all in one piece," City if I would do this again. I don'
Heyman said on Friday. know. So far we're having a really
Although team members trained good time,".he said:

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