The Los Angeles chapter of the American Diabetes Association received a two-year Health Access Grant from Medtronic Foundation in recognition of their continued commitment to improve access to healthcare.

The Association is dedicated to preventing and curing diabetes and improving the lives of all people affected by diabetes, and was nominated by local Medtronic employees working in Southern California.

The grant will allow the Association to continue to educate people with Type 2 diabetes, specifically the underserved African American community, on management and treatment options. African Americans, along with other ethnicities, are almost twice as likely to have Type 2 diabetes as non-Hispanic whites.

“Educational programs and access to wellness resources can play an important role in both preventing Type 2 diabetes and helping people living with all types of diabetes manage their disease, live longer and reduce their risk of its dangerous complications,” said Area Executive Director Jennifer Campbell, MPH, with the Association’s Greater Los Angeles office. “This grant will go a long way toward reaching our goals in the communities we serve.”

“At Medtronic, we are driven by a belief that access to quality healthcare is fundamental for all people around the world, and that starts right here in Los Angeles,” said Francine Kaufman, M.D., chief medical officer and vice president, Global Medical, Clinical & Health Affairs. “Through the Medtronic Foundation, we invest in localized health access initiatives that support and recognize community-based organizations such as the American Diabetes Association, allowing them to continue and expand their great work.”

Medtronic Foundation Health Access Grants are awarded in 72 different communities around the world in recognition of community-based programs and organizations that demonstrate a commitment to expanding access to chronic disease care for the underserved.