"Robert Cleveland and Gerald Cleveland have led remarkable lives despite the challenges that diabetes poses," said George L. King, M.D., director of research at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. "To put their accomplishments into perspective, the Cleveland brothers developed diabetes shortly after the discovery of insulin, and more than 70 years later neither has developed any serious complications. Both are to be commended for meticulously managing their blood glucose levels day in and day out for several decades. They serve as an inspiration for anyone living with type 1 diabetes."
Robert Cleveland is a retired accountant and has two children, Marilyn Welles and Neil Cleveland, with Ruth Cleveland, his wife of more than 57 years. Gerald Cleveland, Ed.D., received his doctorate from Syracuse University and trained as a teacher before becoming assistant superintendent of the Syracuse Public Schools for 27 years. He has two children, Linda Czarny and Roger Cleveland, with his late wife of 62 years, Mildred Cleveland.
Among those scheduled to speak at the ceremony honoring the Cleveland brothers is Ruth Weinstock, M.D., medical director of Joslin Diabetes Center at SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse and Professor of Medicine and Chief, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Also speaking will be Hillary Keenan, Ph.D., a member of a Joslin research team that is conducting a study of Joslin medalists who have lived with type 1 diabetes for 50 years or more to better understand what biological and genetic factors may contribute to a long life with diabetes. The Cleveland brothers' longtime physicians, David Dube, M.D., medical director of St. Camillus Health and Rehabilitation Center, and his father, Arthur Dube, M.D., also will speak.
For more information, contact: Marge Dwyer, Joslin, 617-732-2415
Dede Snyder, Loretto Public Relations Nottingham Senior Living Ph: 315-251-2662, ext. 3023
About Joslin's Medal Program
Joslin Diabetes Center has awarded more than 2,200 people worldwide the 50 Year Medal since 1970. The Joslin Awards Program also grants a 75-Year Victory Award Medal. Robert Cleveland will be the fifteenth individual to date to have received this special honor. Medal and certificate recipients come from all walks of life and represent a wide spectrum of life experiences, cultural backgrounds and geographic locations. Joslin has awarded medals to individuals across the United States and around the world, including people living with diabetes in Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Hungary, Japan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The Award Program dates back to 1948, when Joslin Diabetes Center founder Dr. Elliott P. Joslin, who wanted to acknowledge the accomplishment of managing insulin-dependent diabetes over the long term, began awarding his patients certificates for living with diabetes for more than 25 years.
For more information about the Joslin Medal program, call the Joslin Diabetes Center Development Office at 617-732-2412 or e-mail medals@joslin.harvard.edu.
About Joslin Diabetes Center
Joslin Diabetes Center, dedicated to conquering diabetes in all of its forms, is the global leader in diabetes research, care and education. Founded in 1898, Joslin is affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Joslin Research is a team of over 300 people at the forefront of discovery aimed at preventing and curing diabetes. Joslin Clinic, affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, the nationwide network of Joslin Affiliated Programs, and the hundreds of Joslin educational programs offered each year for clinicians, researchers and patients, enable Joslin to develop, implement and share innovations that immeasurably improve the lives of people with diabetes. As a nonprofit, Joslin benefits from the generosity of donors in advancing its mission. For more information on Joslin, call 1-800-JOSLIN-1 or visit www.joslin.org.