November 18, 2006

Gary Hall Jr. Talks to Kids About Diabetes Epidemic

Posted by Scott

At age 25 Gary Hall Jr. started having dizzy spells while training. Then one day he just passed out and was told he would never be able to compete again.

One and a half years later, Gary Hall Jr. won four medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics. Hall, who is now an advocate of diabetes education and research, talked recently to about 400 students from schools including New World School of the Arts, Campbell Drive Middle, Miami Jackson Senior, MAST Academy and South Miami Senior packed the auditorium at Felix Varela Senior High in West Kendall for a presentation on the dangers of diabetes.

The event is part of the Olympian Education Series, a five-part health education program developed after the passage of the federal Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 2004. November is National Diabetes Month and thus was chosen to kick off the program.

“After the 2000 Olympics, a woman told me, you’ve made a difference in my son’s life. You helped make the diagnosis of diabetes easier and less scary,” Hall told the audience according to the Miami Herald. “I knew I could make a difference. I have high hopes that I’ll be able to swim in the next 2008 Olympics in Beijing,” he said.

Source: Miami Herald