MLL Names Charity of All-Star Game

Major League Lacrosse Partners with Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as Part of the 2011 Sports Authority MLL All-Star Game

Boston, Mass. (May 2, 2011) – Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, announced today its annual 2011 Sports Authority MLL All-Star Game will serve as a platform to raise funds and awareness for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 diabetes research worldwide.

“We are delighted to support JDRF through our signature event,” said MLL Commissioner David Gross. “Each year Major League Lacrosse partners with a charitable organization in order to give back to the community. JDRF has pioneered the support for diabetes research and awareness and we are thrilled to align ourselves this year with such a worthy organization.”

The partnership will be centered around the 2011 Sports Authority MLL All-Star Game, which will take place on July 9, 2011 at Harvard Stadium in Boston. It will extend throughout the summer as local JDRF chapters intend to work with Major League Lacrosse offices in joint efforts to connect MLL players with local children living with type 1 diabetes.

“We are excited to have this partnership opportunity with Major League Lacrosse and appreciate their generosity in selecting JDRF as the benefiting charity for the event,” said Yvonne Miller, National Director of Corporate Development for JDRF. “We look forward to working together in not only raising awareness about type 1 diabetes but to also generate additional dollars to fund the critical research for better treatments and ultimately a cure for type 1 diabetes.”

Special edition jerseys for the 2011 Sports Authority MLL All-Star Game will be designed with elements of JDRF’s corporate image including their signature colors and logo. After the game, players will sign their jerseys on-site which will later be auctioned to the public and proceeds will go to JDRF, whose national headquarters are based in New York. Funds are given to two main areas, finding a cure and treatment through improved glucose control.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults, and can be fatal. Until a cure is found, people with type 1 diabetes have to test their blood sugar and give themselves insulin injections or use a pump every day. Insulin is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its potential complications, which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation. One of JDRF’s research goals is to support the research to develop products that can dramatically improve blood glucose control so they can live healthier lives with less risk of developing complications.

Other partners of MLL’s annual signature event have included MetroLacrosse, Boys and Girls Club of America, Special Olympics of North America, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

About JDRF

JDRF is the worldwide leader for research to cure type 1 diabetes. It sets the global agenda for diabetes research, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes science worldwide.

The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly, and can be fatal. Until a cure is found, people with type 1 diabetes have to test their blood sugar and give themselves insulin injections multiple times or use a pump – each day, every day of their lives. And even with that intensive care, insulin is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its potential complications, which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation.

Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.5 billion to diabetes research, including $107 million last year. More than 80 percent of JDRF’s expenditures directly support research and research-related education. For more information, please visit www.jdrf.org.

About Major League Lacrosse

Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, was founded by Jake Steinfeld and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Major League Lacrosse commenced play in June of 2001, when the MLL was praised and heralded for its on-field play, regarded as the best ever seen. Major League Lacrosse has continued to lead the sport of lacrosse into the mainstream of competitive team sports. Comprised of six teams located in Boston, Chesapeake, Denver, Long Island, Rochester and Hamilton, Major League Lacrosse will enter its eleventh successful season this year.

About the 2011 Sports Authority MLL All-Star Game

The 40 best players in the League will return to Boston’s Harvard Stadium on July 9, 2011 at 7:00 PM (ET) for the 2011 Sports Authority MLL All-Star Game. This year’s game will be televised live on ESPN2HD. Tickets may be purchased by calling The Boston Cannons at (617) 746-9933 or at http://www.ticketmaster.com/Harvard-Stadium-tickets-Allston/venue/9012.

For more information, please visit the Official League website at www.majorleaguelacrosse.com.

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