The Middle Tennessee Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) has awarded Vanderbilt’s William Russell, M.D., professor of Pediatrics and director of the division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, its highest honor — the Living and Giving Award for support of people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Russell was honored at the JDRF Promise Gala, Saturday, April 20, at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel.
“JDRF is pleased to recognize Dr. Bill Russell as the 2013 Living & Giving Award honoree in recognition of his T1D prevention research, his care for children with T1D in Middle Tennessee and throughout the Southeast, and his steadfast support of JDRF and its mission,” said Mary Lyn Schuh, executive director of the Middle Tennessee JDRF chapter. “Dr. Russell has done so much to improve the lives of those living with T1D and we are grateful to have him as a part of the JDRF family.”
Russell is also the principal Investigator for the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet research program and was instrumental in Vanderbilt gaining the designation as a TrialNet Clinical Center. He guides the efforts of the TrialNet research team in furthering the goals of early detection, treatment and prevention of T1D. TrialNet is funded by the National Institutes of Health, JDRF and the American Diabetes Association.
An active supporter and advocate of families touched by T1D, Russell and the Children’s Diabetes Program team support multiple community outreach programs, including Diabetes Family Day.
The annual event at Vanderbilt brings together several hundred children, young adults and their families to share experiences on living life well with T1D.
A video produced in honor of Russell for the JDRF gala can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv0B4PIoPNc.
