Bia is the founder of Biabética, an online blog created in 2016 to share information about diabetes in Brazil. She lives in Rio de Janeiro, and was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2000. She learned to live a happy life with Diabetes, and wants to help other diabetics accept their own condition. Bia graduated with a degree in Public Relations, and recently created a company named Biabética to sell decorative stickers for insulin pumps and glucose meters in Brazil and around the world. Her next step in life will be the graduating with a degree in Nutrition, so she can further help those living with diabetes.
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The Innovation Awards Recognize Patient Entrepreneurs for Their Innovative and Disruptive Ideas for Management of Diabetes Using Consumer, Medical Devices, or Healthcare Information Technologies
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Nov. 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Patient Entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of Med Angel BV, Amin Zayani was named the recipient of the 2017 Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Award for his work in addressing the management of diabetes and received a grant of $25,000. Amin Zayani was selected from a group of twelve finalists (which can be found here) after dozens of Award submissions were received from 25 countries. In addition, Linh Le, represented by Malcolm Nason, of Bonbouton and Jen Horonjeff of Savvy Cooperative received second and third place in the competition, and were awarded $15,000 and $10,000 respectively. The winners were selected by an international panel of judges.
The Summit jury was comprised of Magnus Persson, MD, PhD, a board professional, Professor John Nolan, Special Advisor to the President of EASD, Shaukat Sadikot, MD, President of the International Diabetes Foundation, Shomit Ghose, Partner at Onset Ventures (and the jury Chairman), and Vanessa Pirolo, a patient representative. Mr. Ghose, states:
“Diabetes is a global health issue affecting a diverse population. The Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Summit brought together diverse solutions from global innovators. As a venture capitalist, it was exciting for me to see all of the disruptive solutions that came forward.”
Amin Zayani, who took first place, described his reaction at being announced the winner:
“This prize represents a lot of recognition for our company’s mission and we are raising awareness of the importance of properly storing insulin at home. When one of the world leaders in making insulin recognizes the problem as well, it consolidates our case. I’m so happy and proud, this prize motivates me to continue what I’m doing.”
The Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Summit and Award spotlights outstanding Patient Entrepreneurs’ innovative ideas to disrupt the future management of Diabetes via consumer products, medical devices, or healthcare information technologies. The twelve finalists attended the 2017 Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Summit November 6-8, 2017 hosted by Novo Nordisk A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark, which provided a unique opportunity for visibility and recognition in this highly competitive arena. For more information please visit Lyfebulb’s website.
Dr. Karin Hehenberger, CEO and Founder of Lyfebulb states:
“This year’s Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Summit in Diabetes saw an increase in number of applications from a wider range of countries than last year. The interaction with the 12 finalists proved rewarding for all parties involved, including the distinguished jury, invited guests, Novo Nordisk, and Lyfebulb leadership. We congratulate the three winners chosen by our diverse jury. We believe, however, that all of the finalists have promising futures in this space, and above all, show that their personal ‘lived experiences’ are strong value-adds to the businesses they are building. Lyfebulb’s concept of empowering patient entrepreneurs and to bridge industry with patient communities was clearly validated through this Summit.”
Senior Vice President for Novo Nordisk Device R&D Kenneth Strømdahl adds:
“Entrepreneurial spirit is fueled by great ideas and passion, and patient communities provide vital insights into how we can foster patient-driven innovation. It was a great pleasure to engage with the 12 finalists and there is no doubt that we are all working towards the same goal to ultimately defeat diabetes.”
For more information, please visit Lyfebulb’s website.
Share2Print November 08, 2017 09:14 ET | Source: Lyfebulb COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Nov. 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Patient Entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of Med Angel BV, Amin Zayani was named the recipient of the 2017 Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Award for his work in addressing the management of diabetes and received a grant of $25,000. Amin Zayani was selected from a group of twelve finalists (which can be found here) after dozens of Award submissions were received from 25 countries. In addition, Linh Le, represented by Malcolm Nason, of Bonbouton and Jen Horonjeff of Savvy Cooperative received second and third place in the competition, and were awarded $15,000 and $10,000 respectively. The winners were selected by an international panel of judges.
The Summit jury was comprised of Magnus Persson, MD, PhD, a board professional, Professor John Nolan, Special Advisor to the President of EASD, Shaukat Sadikot, MD, President of the International Diabetes Foundation, Shomit Ghose, Partner at Onset Ventures (and the jury Chairman), and Vanessa Pirolo, a patient representative. Mr. Ghose, states:
“Diabetes is a global health issue affecting a diverse population. The Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Summit brought together diverse solutions from global innovators. As a venture capitalist, it was exciting for me to see all of the disruptive solutions that came forward.”
Amin Zayani, who took first place, described his reaction at being announced the winner:
“This prize represents a lot of recognition for our company’s mission and we are raising awareness of the importance of properly storing insulin at home. When one of the world leaders in making insulin recognizes the problem as well, it consolidates our case. I’m so happy and proud, this prize motivates me to continue what I’m doing.”
The Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Summit and Award spotlights outstanding Patient Entrepreneurs’ innovative ideas to disrupt the future management of Diabetes via consumer products, medical devices, or healthcare information technologies. The twelve finalists attended the 2017 Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Summit November 6-8, 2017 hosted by Novo Nordisk A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark, which provided a unique opportunity for visibility and recognition in this highly competitive arena. For more information please visit Lyfebulb’s website.
Dr. Karin Hehenberger, CEO and Founder of Lyfebulb states:
“This year’s Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Summit in Diabetes saw an increase in number of applications from a wider range of countries than last year. The interaction with the 12 finalists proved rewarding for all parties involved, including the distinguished jury, invited guests, Novo Nordisk, and Lyfebulb leadership. We congratulate the three winners chosen by our diverse jury. We believe, however, that all of the finalists have promising futures in this space, and above all, show that their personal ‘lived experiences’ are strong value-adds to the businesses they are building. Lyfebulb’s concept of empowering patient entrepreneurs and to bridge industry with patient communities was clearly validated through this Summit.”
Senior Vice President for Novo Nordisk Device R&D Kenneth Strømdahl adds:
“Entrepreneurial spirit is fueled by great ideas and passion, and patient communities provide vital insights into how we can foster patient-driven innovation. It was a great pleasure to engage with the 12 finalists and there is no doubt that we are all working towards the same goal to ultimately defeat diabetes.”
For more information, please visit Lyfebulb’s website.
About Lyfebulb
Lyfebulb is a business focused on bridging patient communities with industry, and providing a strong voice to people living with chronic disease by empowering patient entrepreneurs and patient ambassadors. See www.lyfebulbprod.staging.wpengine.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Karin Hehenberger LinkedIn, and Lyfebulb LinkedIn.
About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious chronic conditions: haemophilia, growth disorders and obesity. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 42,000 people in 77 countries and markets its products in more than 165 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube
Press Contact for Lyfebulb:
Shepard Doniger
BDCG, Inc.
561-637-5750
sdoniger@bdcginc.com
Lyfebulb showcases and mentors ‘patient entrepreneurs’ – entrepreneurs who are affected by chronic diseases and are building businesses which target those suffering from chronic diseases.
Karin Hehenberger was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1989, at an early age. Her chronic illness required her to go through kidney and pancreas transplants. With a dual perspective as a patient and a doctor, Dr Karin decided to do something to help other people impacted by chronic illnesses, to work on businesses that will help other patients.
Karin founded Lyfebulb with two close friends and colleagues, Riccardo Braglia, CEO of Helsinn, and Stephen Squinto, Venture Partner at Orbimed and Co-founder of Alexion. The idea was to build an organisation that bridges patients with industry. “After my experience as a medical doctor, healthcare executive, and Type 1 diabetic, I personally understand that there’s a gap in the development of solutions for patients and know the impact patients can have on improving solutions to their quality of care,” Dr. Karin says.
She wanted to showcase individuals who, like her, were not accepting of the role of a passive patient, but willing to take on the challenge of changing the future for themselves and others living with chronic disease. Lyfebulb calls these individuals “patient entrepreneurs” not to be confused with the meaning of ‘patience’. These people are anything but patient, but they are living with a chronic disease or closely related to someone with a chronic disease and they are not just sitting back waiting for solutions. They are out there creating products and solutions that may help them and others in the near term.
Although it is not a requirement that the founders be patients of chronic diseases, they have to be personally affected by diabetes or a chronic illness. They often have the disease themselves, other times a friend or family member is living with the disease. Lyfebulb Entrepreneur Circle features people who have made their disease their career. They identify an issue in their lives with the disease and then they address that issue by creating a product or an entire company. At Lyfebulb, they maintain a blog and are active on social media as a way of building the community and getting valuable information to people living with chronic illness. They have hosted many events in different areas of chronic illness, including diabetes, cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which are informational as well as community building. They hold innovation summits with large companies where they ask patient entrepreneurs to apply, choose 10-12 finalists, and then bring them together to compete for monetary prizes and interact with a pharma leadership, VCs, and thought leaders.
“We have hosted 26 events in the three years since we started Lyfebulb in New York City, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. This year we are hosting our second annual Innovation Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark and next year, we will host another summit/award in another therapeutic area, in addition to diabetes,” adds Dr Karin on their events so far and future plans.
Lyfebulb has entered into a partnership with Novo Nordisk to grow the Lyfebulb Entrepreneur Circle and to establish the Lyfebulb–Novo Nordisk Innovation Award to recognize promising startups founded by patient entrepreneurs. The winner of the 2016 edition of the award was Brianna Wolin, CEO & Co-Founder at Find Your Ditto. Brianna has lived with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease most of her life. Find Your Ditto is the only mobile platform that connects individuals living with the same chronic illness locally for on-demand, in-person peer support to mitigate feelings of loneliness and depression. Users can find their ‘dittos’ and begin to feel like “it’s not just me.”
Lyfebulb also mentors patient entrepreneurs and they help certain companies secure funding through their network. While they do not have an incubator currently, forming a virtual one is in the pipeline. They are also contemplating on raising a venture fund called Lyfebulb Ventures, but may proceed with making specific investments into companies instead.
Press Contact for Lyfebulb:
Shepard Doniger
BDCG, Inc.
561-637-5750
sdoniger@bdcginc.com
CHALLENGE TIMELINE
6-8 November, 2017
Innovation Challenge
8 November, 2017
Winner Announcement
The Winner
Med Angel BV
Amin lives with T1D since 2006, he is a solar energy engineer by training and a hardware expert by trade. After a frustrating accident in 2013, when his insulin was frozen in the domestic refrigerator, he became discovered a massive flaw in the way medications are stored and handled at home, and decided to found MedAngel to solve this problem. He is currently leading a team of engineers, pharmacists and designers to revolutionise the interaction patient-medication, and bring peace of mind to everyone.
Amin Zayani
CEO & Founder
ABOUT THE SUMMIT AND AWARD
The Innovation Summit will bring together Patient Entrepreneurs with venture capitalists, Lyfebulb founders, Novo Nordisk Device R&D leadership, researchers and engineers, in order to spotlight entrepreneurs’ efforts and ideas, and provide professional discussion, direction, and inspiration.
3 DAYS TO CATALYZE INNOVATION
Innovation Award
Keynotes
Workshops & Discussions
The Future Rooms Experience
THE AWARD
Patient Entrepreneurs have a unique ability to create value-adding disease management solutions beyond therapy. Our aim is to support patient-driven innovation and laser-focus on improving the quality of life for those living with diabetes.
THE PITCH COMPETITION
The pitch competition brings to the stage emerging Patient Entrepreneurs to pitch their invention or idea to Lyfebulb founders, Novo Nordisk R&D device leadership, researchers and engineers, and venture capitalists. Contestants will respond to a round of Q&A by the judging panel. The top three outstanding Patient Entrepreneurs will receive monetary awards to further develop their ideas:
International Judging Panel.
The winners will be chosen by a judging panel made up of international representatives from the diabetes community and gain exposure internationally.
Lyfebulb is a chronic disease-focused, patient empowerment platform that connects patients and industry to support user-driven innovation. Grounded with its strong foundation in diabetes, the company has expanded disease states covered into cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, mental health, migraine and transplantation.
Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious chronic conditions: haemophilia, growth disorders and obesity.
Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 42,000 people in 77 countries and markets its products in more than 165 countries.
For more information visit: Novonordisk.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube
Innovation Award Recognizes One Patient Entrepreneur for Her Innovative Idea for Management of Diabetes Using Consumer, Medical Devices, or Healthcare Information Technologies
NEW YORK, Dec. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Patient Entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of Find Your Ditto, Brianna Wolin was named recipient of the inaugural Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Award for her work in addressing the management of diabetes. Brianna was selected from a grouping of ten finalists after dozens of Award submissions were received from 15 countries. The selection was made by a panel of judges consisting of international representatives of the diabetes patient community.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cad5bf80-ac92-4973-9ba5-3d147b14a7f3.
“To be recognized by an innovative organization such as Lyfebulb and Novo Nordisk, a global pharmaceutical leader in diabetes care, is a true honor and an affirmation that our work to helping change the landscape surrounding isolation and depression in chronic illness communities is fully worthwhile,” said Brianna Wolin. “I’m so proud to have our mission – creating a world where no person living with a chronic illness ever has to feel alone – is highlighted by this award.”
The Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk Innovation Award spotlights one outstanding patient entrepreneur’s innovative efforts and ideas to better manage chronic disease via consumer products, medical devices, or healthcare information technology.
Brianna Wolin was selected from a distinguished grouping of patient entrepreneur finalists that included:
Shilo Ben-Zeev, Smartzyme, Israel; Jeff Dachis, OneDrop, USA; Shantanu Gaur, MD, Allurion, USA; Matt Loper, Wellth, USA; Charles O’Connell, FitScript, USA; Scott Smith, Socrates, USA; Anna Sjoberg, Anna PS, Sweden; John Sjolund, Patients Pending Ltd, UK; David Weingard, Fit4D, USA; Brianna Wolin, Find Your Ditto, USA.
All finalists attended the Innovation Summit held December 6-7, 2016 hosted by Novo Nordisk in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Summit was designed to provide an opportunity for visibility and recognition in this highly competitive arena as well as professional discussion and inspiration for developing ideas further.
“With the global interest in and success of this first Award and event, we are excited about the future for the Innovation Award to grow and for Lyfebulb and Novo Nordisk to expand and strengthen our relationship,” said Dr. Karin Hehenberger, CEO and Founder of Lyfebulb. “Clearly, this effort demonstrates that patient entrepreneurs play a key role in helping people living with chronic disease. At Lyfebulb, we will continue to uncover and give voice to patient entrepreneurs who must be a part of the solution to chronic disease.”
Senior Vice President for Novo Nordisk Device R&D Kenneth Strømdahl added, “While patient-centered companies such as Novo Nordisk will continue to play an important role in bringing innovative solutions for people living with diabetes, this competition proves that passionate patient entrepreneurs are making a real difference to advance the management and care of a chronic condition such as diabetes.”
More information on the Innovation Award, the winner, the sponsors and Summit, as well as each of the finalists and selection process, can be found on the Lyfebulb Website.
About Brianna Wolin Brianna Wolin is a passionate entrepreneur, biomedical engineer and food blogger. Find Your Ditto, FYD, which began as a student project during her time at the University of Michigan, has earned Brianna several awards at the University as well as recognition by SPARK Ann Arbor, including a fully-funded entrepreneurial bootcamp experience and a commitment to continued guidance. Brianna has lived with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease the majority of her life. Her food blog, A Different Survival Guide, grew out of her need to cook all of her own low carb, gluten free meals unavailable in campus dining halls. Brianna is the Chief Executive Officer of Find Your Ditto, responsible for engagement with universities and healthcare systems, marketing, legal matters, and company finances.
About Lyfebulb Lyfebulb is an organization focused on bringing innovative products and solutions focused on chronic disease to market. Lyfebulb serves as a bridge between patients and industry, and its mission is to improve the quality of life of those living with chronic disease NOW. See www.lyfebulbprod.staging.wpengine.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Karin Hehenberger LinkedIn, and Lyfebulb LinkedIn.
About Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious chronic conditions: hemophilia, growth disorders and obesity. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 42,300 people in 75 countries and markets its products in more than 180 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube.
Press Contact for Lyfebulb: Shepard Doniger BDCG, Inc. 561-637-5750 sdoniger@bdcginc.com
CHALLENGE TIMELINE
6-8 November, 2017
Innovation Challenge
8 November, 2017
Winner Announcement
The Winner
Med Angel BV
Amin lives with T1D since 2006, he is a solar energy engineer by training and a hardware expert by trade. After a frustrating accident in 2013, when his insulin was frozen in the domestic refrigerator, he became discovered a massive flaw in the way medications are stored and handled at home, and decided to found MedAngel to solve this problem. He is currently leading a team of engineers, pharmacists and designers to revolutionise the interaction patient-medication, and bring peace of mind to everyone.
Amin Zayani
CEO & Founder
ABOUT THE SUMMIT AND AWARD
The Innovation Summit will bring together Patient Entrepreneurs with venture capitalists, Lyfebulb founders, Novo Nordisk Device R&D leadership, researchers and engineers, in order to spotlight entrepreneurs’ efforts and ideas, and provide professional discussion, direction, and inspiration.
3 DAYS TO CATALYZE INNOVATION
Innovation Award
Keynotes
Workshops & Discussions
The Future Rooms Experience
THE AWARD
Patient Entrepreneurs have a unique ability to create value-adding disease management solutions beyond therapy. Our aim is to support patient-driven innovation and laser-focus on improving the quality of life for those living with diabetes.
THE PITCH COMPETITION
The pitch competition brings to the stage emerging Patient Entrepreneurs to pitch their invention or idea to Lyfebulb founders, Novo Nordisk R&D device leadership, researchers and engineers, and venture capitalists. Contestants will respond to a round of Q&A by the judging panel. The top three outstanding Patient Entrepreneurs will receive monetary awards to further develop their ideas:
International Judging Panel.
The winners will be chosen by a judging panel made up of international representatives from the diabetes community and gain exposure internationally.
The Award was open to patient entrepreneurs currently working on an innovative project, which can advance the prevention, management, or care of diabetes. The Award was open to entrepreneurs in every kind of health IT, consumer or medical device area, from every country in the world.
The judging panel will assess the following:
WHAT WERE THE JUDGING CRITERIA?
The judging panel looked for evidence of:
How the invention/product had the potential to improve the lives of people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes?
In what aspects the product or service was unique in the market (not an altered marketed device) and met other demands as well?
Usage of innovative and effective technologies that are scalable.
Ability to meet most of the healthcare challenges (e.g. funding, regulations, requirements for clinical testing, etc.)
Team behind the project.
WHO WAS ELIGIBLE?
If you could answer yes to all of the following questions, you were able to apply for the Lyfebulb Innovation Award:
Do you work on innovative ideas and concepts for better management of diabetes using consumer or medical devices, or healthcare IT?
Are you living with diabetes or have a close relative with diabetes?
Do you have the aspiration to develop your project and to deliver the benefit to others suffering from the same burden?
Are you focusing on your idea or business full-time?
Can you document there is a sound scientific and medical rationale for the idea?
Do you have a strong business case behind the idea?
Lyfebulb is a chronic disease-focused, patient empowerment platform that connects patients and industry to support user-driven innovation. Grounded with its strong foundation in diabetes, the company has expanded disease states covered into cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, mental health, migraine and transplantation.
Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious chronic conditions: haemophilia, growth disorders and obesity.
Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 42,000 people in 77 countries and markets its products in more than 165 countries.
For more information visit: Novonordisk.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube
When I founded Lyfebulb together with Riccardo Braglia, Helsinn Group Vice Chairman and CEO and Steve Squinto, PhD, co-founder of Alexion and Venture Partner at Orbimed in 2014, it was with the broad goal to address the gaps I had experienced during my personal journey with diabetes and as a business woman and medical scientist.
Above all, I wanted to showcase individuals, who like myself, were not accepting of the role of a passive patient, but willing to take on the challenge of changing the future for themselves and others living with chronic disease.
At Lyfebulb we call these individuals “patient entrepreneurs” not to be confused with the meaning of patience. These people are anything but patient, but they are living with a chronic disease or closely related to someone with a chronic disease and they are not just sitting back waiting for solutions, but they are out there creating products and solutions that may help them and others in the near term.
My goal for Lyfebulb is to create a global organization that is patient-centric and functions as the voice for a larger population of patients, who have until this point been vulnerable and receptive rather than strong and proactive. We feel that it is patients’ responsibility and opportunity to be innovators, teachers and influencers.
This is why the Lyfebulb Entrepreneur Circle is so important. Here we feature people who have made their disease their career. They identify an issue in their lives with the disease and then they address that issue by creating a product or an entire company. That inspires me and I know it inspires others. If one cannot become an entrepreneur one can mentor others, one can influence large companies and one can advocate for progress.
Recently, Lyfebulb announced a partnership with global leader in diabetes, Novo Nordisk focused on this very effort. Together we will grow the Entrepreneur circle and we have tangible plans for how to showcase and promote them, for the benefit of others living with diabetes and the entire space. Products and solutions originated by someone who lives with the disease daily will be more applicable and better accepted by the peer population.
In the Lyfebulb pulse, we will feature one of our Rock Stars every two weeks – show-casing their personal story and their company/idea.
Our next step is to build an incubator in NYC, where new patient entrepreneurs can enjoy a creative environment with access to early funding, infrastructure for a start-up and help to take the next steps when they are ready to leave the incubator within 2 years.
First, to introduce the conference and the setting:
“TEDx is an international community that organizes TED-style events anywhere and everywhere — celebrating locally-driven ideas and elevating them to a global stage. TEDxevents are produced independently of TED conferences, each event curates speakers on their own, but based on TED’s format and rules.”
Lugano is a beautiful place, almost impossible to describe in its perfection. It is situated close to the Swiss Alps on a lake. The small town has a Main Street with pretty restaurants and shops. I stayed at the hotel Splendide Royal, which sits on Lake Lugano, and from my window I could see the lake. The city has an impressive art museum and a gallery next to the hotel featuring amazing European art such as Kandinsky, Klee, and Marc. The fashion in the city meets the highest standards with everything from Dior to Massimo Dutti.
The Ted X talk was held at the Franklin University on the hill overseeing the town and the area. It is the so called American college of the area, with many foreign students, some there for a semester such as the ambitious young woman, Sheila, who assisted Sergali with the work during the TEDx, and others there for their entire degree.
To understand my feelings one has to understand the entire process of this adventure and the opportunity I had to express in that talk, what Lyfebulb and I personally want to accomplish with respect to patient empowerment.
It all started last year with our board member and Lyfebulb’s co-founder Riccardo Braglia asking whether I would consider throwing my hat in the race for TEDx Lugano 2016. Riccardo had himself given a talk in 2014, and he was able to express many of the reasons why he has taken his company, Helsinn, into the field of oncology supportive care.
I therefore accepted the challenge and discussed what I should speak about with my partner, Anna Hehenberger, scheduled a call with the curator, Sergali Abdelikov, and off we went. The call went well, during which Sergali explained the process for applying, the theme of the conference (Future Wealth) and I spoke about my personal commitment to diabetes, my history and what we are trying to do with Lyfebulb. The talk must be totally non commercial, without references to any company, include a big idea, and offer a proposed solution.
The next step was for me to articulate my idea in an executive summary and send off to Sergali, followed by yet another call. I then moved to the PowerPoint stage followed by a word by word description of what I wanted to say… All this took place over 3 months and finally Sergali was pleased enough to say- “we may accept you but you have to modify your presentation into something less corporate, more visionary and with fewer slides!” He needed to get the presentation approved by a local committee and then by a NYC committee that oversees all TEDx conferences and presentations. TEDx is an independently organized conference series all over the world, with the same vision as the big TED conference.
I loved the direction he had asked me to take the presentation in and immediately started drawing my slides by hand instead of trying to create my own computer generated slides – this was the way I had learned to build presentations back at McKinsey when I first had left academia and moved into the business of healthcare.
My hand drawn slides were clean and I felt that I identified a huge problem, told the story about the idea, and proposed a solution that we as an organization are moving toward!
Now the only problem was converting the slides into real pictures – and I knew a great person who could do this – our wonderful consultant for anything aesthetic, Caroline Dahlmanns. Caroline was up for the task and after 3 revisions I was pleased with the outcome and sent the presentation to the group in Lugano….
They loved it! Completely different look and actually a much stronger presentation – much more like “TED”.
After checking with my team and getting some advice from our board and marketing – I finalized the talk and started practicing how to deliver it. Over the weeks prior to the speech, I gave the talk once a day. In my head, out loud or sometimes even while sitting in a restaurant when I was not part of the conversation. I became obsessed with finding the right words and phrases to capture the audience, delivering my message, and keeping it within the 15 min allocated.
The week of the speech I was in Europe meeting with a big diabetes company together with Anna and we gave a presentation with our vision and goals for addressing the needs of the global diabetes epidemic where I found myself giving the TEDx talk as an intro over lunch! People loved it and got our message, so I felt confident that if I could only tighten this up and present as well a few days later in front of a layman group of people, very critical but also very focused on innovation, I would do well.
The day of the presentation I woke up early, had my usual breakfast of tea with milk, yogurt with nuts and cereal, as well as a piece of toast. I was dressed in what I thought was reflective of the message, blue jeans, designer heels, and a beautiful white silk shirt, and off I went to the salon for a blow out. I didn’t want to be distracted by feeling that my hair was not perfect so I had booked an appointment with a local hairdresser close to the hotel. My presentation was the second in the show, which started at 1:30 pm so I decided to have a light lunch around noon, a vegetable soup….
Finally I was on stage and my adrenaline was high, I was ready for my “fight”. As I used to be a competitive athlete, I saw this as no different than walking onto the tennis court and I had prepared similarly. No one to blame for failure but myself and that is actually how I love scenarios to be – it is up to me to be prepared and it is up to me to deliver. The speech was obviously a team effort, with so much input from my loved ones and the people whom I respect, but on stage I was alone.
“Today I am going to tell you a story about how patients can transform the global diabetes pandemic”
Off I went and I delivered the points loud and clear, and I walked off that stage feeling like a million bucks! “More more”- I really enjoyed the final step of this venture and being on stage in front of a captive audience, and knowing that this speech will be released on YouTube within a few weeks was exhilarating.
So what did I say? Well I guess we will have to wait for the movie but:
1) we are facing a huge problem in the global diabetes pandemic 2) I personally have experienced how diabetes can kill and cripple 3) I have been given a second chance and I will not waste a day not trying to make the most out of that treasured life 4) patients like me and the people who care about us, must stand up and get involved and take responsibility for our lives and for educating the rest of the world about what it is like to live with diabetes 5) teaching, mentoring, innovating, entrepreneurship, advocacy, regulatory, payers, all these areas need patient engagement and leadership 6) do not be a victim, do not wait for solutions, but become a resource, innovate for personal and financial gains 7) my call for action is to GET INVOLVED
You will hear much more from Lyfebulb going forward, our community is growing, the companies we work with are being more and more aggressive in getting the right products to the market, and we as a team will be offering new ways of getting engaged.
Stay tuned!
Dear Lyfebulb Community,
We want to spread the word about a very special Valentine’s Day campaign called Spare a Rose, Save a Child. The campaign is running from now until February 14th, with the aim of raising money and awareness for the International Diabetes Federation’s Life for a Child Program. This Valentine’s Day, you can opt to buy one less rose and donate its value (about $5) to Life for a Child. Each donation helps a child with diabetes in developing countries receive access to lifesaving insulin, glucose monitoring equipment, and medical care.
P4DC (Partnering for Diabetes Change Coalition) started the Spare a Rose campaign in 2013. Since then, the effort has raised nearly $56,000, helping provide life-saving supplies to more than 1,000 children worldwide. I urge you to take this opportunity to reach out and help the global diabetes community.
Of course, giving is completely voluntary, and simply raising awareness about this great cause will contribute to the initiative. Please help spread the word by sharing this opportunity on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media (#SpareARose). You can also share the marketing materials or even hold your very own mini-campaign in your office by requesting a toolkit. If you do the latter, Close Concerns will enter your name in a drawing to win a free hour of intensive research on any diabetes topic – just let them know you’re holding an office campaign. The drawing will be the day after Valentine’s Day.
Together, we can help change the world, one rose at a time!
