ALAMEDA, Calif.- To help children and their families learn to better manage diabetes, Abbott Diabetes Care, a division of Abbott, is sending 135 children who are newly diagnosed with diabetes to camp this summer as part of its "Send a Kid to Camp" program. This year marks the sixth consecutive year of the program, which provides scholarships for children and teens to attend diabetes summer camp for the first time.

Since the program's start in 2001, Abbott has donated more than $500,000 in scholarship funds and almost $1 million in product donations, including blood glucose meters and strips, to diabetes camps and campers. To date, Abbott has sponsored more than 500 children to participate in diabetes camps in more than 30 U.S. states, including many who would not otherwise have the resources to attend.

Diabetes camp scholarships are awarded based on recommendations submitted by diabetes educators and other health care professionals. Scholarships are awarded to first-time campers ages 6 to 16 and are based on location, need and date of diagnosis, and include lodging, meals and other fees associated with camp-sponsored activities, including on-site medical staff.
For the 2006 camp season, Abbott will donate blood glucose meters and test strips for measuring both blood glucose and blood ketones. Product donations will include Abbott's FreeStyle Flash™ blood glucose meters and strips, and Precision Xtra™ meters and strips, the only blood glucose monitoring system widely available in the United States that tests both blood glucose and blood ketones exclusively, all in one simple system.

In 2006, Abbott will partner with a number of diabetes camps on diabetes educational initiatives focused on teaching kids and their families about the importance of testing frequently for blood glucose and blood ketones. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), resulting from severe insulin deficiency and high levels of blood ketones, is the leading cause of death among children with diabetes. Testing ketone levels can decrease the incidence of DKA. Traditional methods of measuring ketone levels have involved urine testing. Abbott will be providing a new, fast blood ketone strip to diabetes camps to help children and their families learn how to easily monitor their ketone levels.

"Diabetes summer camps provide a safe and positive environment in which to learn about managing diabetes," said Mats Wallin, executive director of the Diabetic Youth Foundation and Bearskin Meadows Diabetes Camp. "Some children or teens come to camp and have just been diagnosed - this allows them an opportunity to connect with their peers and learn how to be successful and proactive in managing the condition. Camp truly helps children and teens with diabetes understand that they are not alone - that there are others just like them."

About Abbott Diabetes Care

Abbott Diabetes Care, based in Alameda, Calif., is a leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing glucose monitoring systems designed to help patients better manage their diabetes. Abbott Diabetes Care is committed to developing products to reduce the discomfort and inconvenience of blood glucose monitoring and introducing systems that are easier to use, require smaller blood samples and provide faster results.

Abbott Diabetes Care manufactures and markets several leading-edge glucose monitoring systems and test strips in the United States for use in both home and hospital settings; leading brands include FreeStyle®, FreeStyle® Flash™ and Precision Xtra™. Additional information about Abbott Diabetes Care may be found at http://www.abbottdiabetescare.com.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs 65,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at http://www.abbott.com.

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About Abbott and the Abbott Fund

The Abbott Fund is a philanthropic foundation established by Abbott in 1951. The Abbott Fund's mission is to create healthier global communities by investing in creative ideas that promote science, expand access to health care and strengthen communities worldwide. For more information, visit www.abbottfund.org.

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs nearly 90,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's website at www.abbott.com.

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