Thursday, December 6, 2012

What You Might Not Know About Jay Cutler

I have never been a Chicago Bears fan, largely because one of my best friends practically worships the Bears. I root for the Washington Redskins, and my friend constantly reminds me of that NFL championship game in 1940 that the Bears won -- 73-0. Never mind that the game was played 10 years before I was born, or that the Redskins defeated the Bears two yers later, or that the Redskins have won their share of Super Bowls in recent history. My friend makes sure that the 73-0 score is all I remember from that football rivalry.

So on some levels, it pains me to say this. I hope the Bears win the Super Bowl this season. Why? I like their quarterback, Jay Cutler, and respect what he has accomplished on the field despite having type 1 diabetes. Don't think the disease has held him back. Cutler is one of the top quarterbacks in the National Football League and is a big reason why the Bears are 8-4.

Most football fans probably don't know that Cutler has diabetes. But if the Bears win the Super Bowl, expect the issue to come front and center.

Here's what he had to say in an interview with Diabetes Forecast: "I want to play as well as IU can on the field, but I really want to use my story to reach as many people as I possibly can with this disease -- especially kids. Before diabetes, I wanted to win a Super Bowl, have a long career.I still will want to win. But I also want to help make people more aware of the issues faced by people with diabetes. I don't want to just be a face. I want to be hands-on and make a difference. I think I got this for a reason. I know I have the opportunity to help to change lives. I definitely want to continue to have an impact and inspire kids with the message that diabetes doesn't have to stand in the way of achieving their own goals in life."

See why I want the Bears to win the Super Bowl?

Cutler has never made excuses, or asked for sympathy. But he faces far different challenges than other quarterbacks. While quarterbacks, such as Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, are going through last-minute preparations before a game, Cutler is checking his blood sugar level a half a dozen times -- and taking an insulin shot if his reading is too high. He continues to check his blood sugar readings during the game.

On the field, he's one of the toughest competitors in the game -- and that's what the fans see. Off the field, there's another side to Cutler that most fans don't know. Eli Lilly & Co. donates $1,000 to the American Diabetes Association's Diabetes Camp for chilren for every touchdown pass he comples and $100 for every pass he completes. Cutler regularly appears at the camps to tell what it's like to be a star athlete with diabetes.

He reaches hundreds, if not thousands of people, through his efforts. If he wins a Super Bowl, Cutler will reach millions with his promotion for diabetes awareness.

Go Bears!


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