BOSTON and WELLESLEY, Mass., Dec.
5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life has closed out the
most successful year yet in the fourth-annual #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes
fundraising campaign with the Celtics, raising a total of
$80,000 for the Greater Boston YMCA's
Diabetes Prevention Program. Throughout National Diabetes Awareness
Month in November, each Celtics dunk generated $1,000 from Sun Life, with the Celtics Shamrock
Foundation matching $25,000. Hashtags
on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram generated $1 each. Fans outdid themselves, blowing past a
goal of 10,000 hashtags, raising additional money for the campaign.
There was also some great dunk action on the court from
Al Horford, Jalen Brown, Jayson
Tatum, Aaron Baynes and
Daniel Theis, all of whom
contributed to meeting a 40-dunk goal for the month.
"This campaign has been a wonderful way to cheer on the Celtics,
support the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program and raise awareness
about the disease's multiple impacts on health," said Dan Fishbein, M.D., president of Sun Life
Financial U.S. "Through education and lifestyle changes, these
programs can greatly reduce new cases of type 2 diabetes. It's
important that we continue to support these community
organizations."
With the Celtics season off to a strong start, more fans got
involved in #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes than ever before on social media,
smashing the hashtag goal by the second week of November, and
cheering on the Celtics' amazing win streak.
"We are thrilled to have such incredible fans who not only cheer
on our players, but engage so enthusiastically in our community
programs," said Ted Dalton, senior
vice president of Corporate Partnerships for the Boston Celtics.
"Sun Life has been a great partner in moving these programs forward
and finding ways for the fans to be involved and make a
difference."
#SunLifeDunk4Diabetes has raised $290,000 since it started in 2014. The campaign
is part of Sun Life's growing support of the YMCA's Diabetes
Prevention Program nationally, which Sun Life helped launch in
Boston, Hartford, Conn. and Kansas City, Mo., in 2014. Since the program's
launch, more than 54,000 people have participated, at nearly 1,700
Ys across the country. Sun Life is also working with YUSA to bring
the Diabetes Prevention Program to employers and their
workforces.
"The support from Sun Life and the Celtics has been essential to
continuing our Diabetes Prevention Program," said James Morton, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston. "The program relies on
partners like Sun Life who are focused on fighting diabetes and
improving people's overall health and wellness."
Sun Life is strongly committed to the fight against diabetes. In
addition to community support in partnership with the Celtics, Sun
Life conducts a similar program with the Kansas City Royals, and
maintains a partnership with the American Diabetes Association to
support education and engagement initiatives. Sun Life also offers
the Team Up Against Diabetes Grant Program, which funds grassroots
organizations focused on diabetes education, management and
support. To date, Sun Life has donated more than $17 million globally to the diabetes cause, and
$1.8 million to programs focused on
diabetes prevention in the U.S.
To learn more about #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes, visit
www.celtics.com/SunLifeDunk4Diabetes or
www.sunlife.com/usdiabetes.
About the Boston Celtics
A charter member of the
Basketball Association of America (which evolved into the National
Basketball Association) since 1946, the Boston Celtics have won a
record 17 NBA Championships, including eight (8) in a row from
1959-1966, winning their first title in 1957 and their most recent
in 2008. The Celtics have long stood for equality and respect,
including hiring the first African American Coach and starting the
first all black starting five. In addition, 35 former Celtics
players, management or staff have been inducted into the Naismith
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In December 2002 the team returned to local
ownership for the first time since 1963. For more information, log
on to www.celtics.com.
About Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial is a
leading international financial services organization, providing a
diverse range of insurance, wealth and asset management solutions
to individuals and corporate Clients. Sun Life Financial has
operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United
States, the United Kingdom,
Ireland, Hong Kong, the
Philippines, Japan,
Indonesia, India, China,
Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2017, Sun Life Financial had total
assets under management of C$934
billion. For more information, please visit
www.sunlife.com.
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New
York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the
ticker symbol SLF.
In the United States, Sun Life
Financial is one of the largest group benefits providers, serving
more than 60,000 employers in small, medium and large workplaces
across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of products and
services in the U.S. includes disability, absence management, life,
dental and vision, voluntary and stop-loss insurance. For more
information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us.
About the YMCA of Greater
Boston:
The YMCA of Greater
Boston is the state's leading nonprofit committed to
strengthening communities. Every day the Y works with
thousands of men, women and children to make sure that everyone,
regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to
learn, grow and thrive. The Y is committed to youth development,
healthy living, and social responsibility, each day giving back and
providing support to thousands. The Y is committed to helping
people live longer, healthier lives. With a mission centered on
balance, the Y brings families closer together, encourages good
health and fosters connections for a fuller life through fitness,
sports, fun and shared interests. For more than 165 years, the Y
has been developing skills and emotional well-being through
education and training, welcoming and connecting diverse
populations, preventing chronic disease and building healthier
communities through collaborations and policymakers. The Boston
YMCA is the first in the United
States.
Media Contacts:
Devon Portney Fernald
Sun Life Financial
781-416-7151
devon.portney.fernald@sunlife.com
Heather Walker
Boston Celtics
617-854-8072
hwalker@celtics.com
SLPC 28805 12/17 (exp 12/19)
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SOURCE Sun Life Financial