Lighthouse International Joins the Empire State Building and Other Buildings Across the Globe in Lighting the Building Blue for World Diabetes Day (Archive)
November 1, 2009 …To mark World Diabetes Day, Lighthouse International, the non-profit leader in vision healthcare, will light its headquarters on East 59th street blue, joining the Empire State Building and 500 other buildings across the world. The headquarters will be lit on November 13th beginning at 4:30 p.m and on November 14th. World Diabetes Day is the global awareness campaign which spotlights a disease that affects some 24 million Americans and millions more internationally. According to the Center for Disease Control, Hispanics are twice as likely to develop diabetes than non-Hispanic whites and African Americans are 1.6 times as likely.
According to Mark G. Ackermann, President and CEO of Lighthouse International, “Nearly one million New Yorkers have diabetes, and if uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to diabetic retinopathy which can lead to vision loss – even blindness. If you manage the disease, however, you can minimize the dangers. The best way to do so is to start with a comprehensive annual eye exam.”
In addition to lighting its headquarters blue, Lighthouse International is conducting a campaign encouraging New Yorkers to get an annual eye exam. The first 50 people who get a dilated eye exam at Lighthouse International will receive a free glucose meter and a 15% off coupon on selected items. To make an appointment call (212) 821-9620. For more information on diabetes and management techniques, contact the Diabetes Center at Lighthouse International at (212)-821-9200.
About Lighthouse International
Founded in 1905, Lighthouse International is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to fighting vision loss through prevention, treatment and empowerment. It achieves this through clinical and rehabilitation services, education, research and advocacy. For more information about vision loss and its causes, contact Lighthouse International at 1-800-829-0500 or visit www.lighthouse.org.
