Highlighting Diabetes Awareness at the NYSE

West Harrison’s Peter Hoffman was part of an effort to highlight diabetes awareness on November 1 by ringing the opening bell on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange {NYSE}. He is taking part because of his involvement with the Diabetes Link, the only national diabetes organization that focuses specifically on people in their teens and twenties, in recognition that this time of their lives is full of enough change and challenges without a chronic disease added to the mix.

Peter attended Purchase Elementary and Louis M. Klein Middle School before attending Iona Preparatory School for High School. He then attended Carleton College in Minnesota where he participated in baseball prior to COVID and ultimately his diabetes diagnosis.

He is currently a senior and finance major at Fordham University and was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in June 2020. Peter was inspired to start a group for diabetics and non-diabetics alike at Fordham as he found that a sense of community and discussing the challenges was a way for him to overcome the day-to-day hardships presented by living as a T1 diabetic. Peter received approval from Fordham University in April 2022 for his diabetes group to be recognized as an organization on campus.

“My goal for the Diabetes Link at Fordham is to remain a source of community and advocacy for diabetics and to remain long after I graduate,” he said.

As November was National Diabetes Month, Nasdaq invited embecta, which manufactures insulin delivery products, to ring the bell along with students and the Diabetes Link program coordinator. Currently, there are 3 million young adults (ages 17-30) living with diabetes in the U.S.  

After 12 years of serving more than 11,500 college students on over 300 campuses nationwide, the College Diabetes Network is expanding and rebranding to The Diabetes Link in effort to serve more young adults. This new name reflects a commitment to expand support to the larger young adult diabetes community, whatever the type of diabetes they live with and whether they’re in school or in the workforce.  

The Diabetes Link offers peer support, leadership development and expert, age-relevant resources tailored specifically to the dynamics of emerging adulthood.  In addition to growing their flagship campus network, The Diabetes Link is launching a new online resource hub that will offer 24/7 access to first-hand peer experiences and perspectives, as well as information reviewed and endorsed by clinical experts.

The Diabetes Link is a national 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young adults with diabetes by providing access to the peer support, connections and expert resources they need to thrive. Over the years The Diabetes Link (formerly CDN) has been recognized as the preeminent organization serving young adults with diabetes, establishing national partnerships with organizations such as ADA, JDRF and the Association for Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES). As the leading provider of young adult patient education by healthcare providers and certification boards such as The Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE).

 Currently, there are 3 million young adults (ages 17-30) living with diabetes in the U.S. and that number continues to increase every day.  The Diabetes Link is the only national organization that focuses specifically on people in their teens and twenties, in recognition that this time of their lives is full of enough change and challenges without a chronic disease added to the mix.