Contact:
Tara Wilcox-Ghanoonparvar, 212-479-7524; twilcox-ghanoonparvar@jdrf.org

―The Erwin Lurie Volunteer of the Year Award, presented at JDRF’s annual OneConference in Washington, D.C., annually recognizes a volunteer who has made significant contributions on behalf of people with type 1 diabetes.―

New York, NY, July 30, 2013 ― JDRF presented its annual Erwin Lurie Volunteer of the Year Award yesterday to Pittsburgh, PA, resident Nan DeTurk for her leadership and outstanding contributions as a volunteer on behalf of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The award was given during a special ceremony at JDRF’s OneConference in Washington, D.C.

After the tragic death of her husband from complications related to T1D, Ms. DeTurk became devoted to making a difference in his honor, volunteering her time and leadership to JDRF’s Western Pennsylvania Chapter. She was elected to the chapter’s board of directors in 2005, serving two three-year terms, during which time she was active on the Corporate Gala Sponsor Committee, among others, and was honored as the chapter’s Volunteer of the Year in 2008.

Ms. DeTurk went on to become president of her JDRF chapter for fiscal years 2013 and 2014, and was recently appointed to the JDRF International Board of Directors after serving on two international JDRF committees.

“The leadership Nan has provided to JDRF has been paramount in guiding her chapter through many challenges and toward many successes, with grace and integrity,” says Jeffrey Brewer, president and CEO of JDRF. “We are extremely grateful for the immeasurable difference she continues to make for JDRF and for the millions of people with type 1 diabetes.”

Among her many contributions, Ms. DeTurk has been instrumental in securing major sponsorships for JDRF Walk and Gala events that have surpassed her chapter’s goals. She has also invested personal resources to help advance important research for people with T1D.

“It’s a great honor to receive this award from JDRF, an organization that has been a very important part of my life for many years,” says Ms. DeTurk. “I’ve seen firsthand how difficult type 1 diabetes is, but I’ve also seen how far we have come at JDRF. Working together, we are helping to lessen the burden of this disease until it is a thing of the past. Looking back, I can’t help but be confident about the progress that lies ahead, and I’m excited to be a part of that progress.”

The Volunteer of the Year Award is named after the late Erwin Lurie, who helped found JDRF in 1970 with wife Carol and others after his son was diagnosed with T1D at age 10. Up until Mr. Lurie’s death in 2009, and Mrs. Lurie’s death in 2013, they were dedicated advocates whose vision guided JDRF in becoming the largest charitable supporter of T1D research.

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About JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until we achieve a world without T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D.

As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF is currently sponsoring $530 million in scientific research in 17 countries. In 2012 alone, JDRF provided more than $110 million to T1D research. More than 80 percent of JDRF’s expenditures directly support research and research-related education. In 2012 Forbes magazine named JDRF one of its five All-Star charities, citing the organization’s efficiency and effectiveness.