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DePauw’s Sego featured in new diabetes awareness campaign
November is American Diabetes Month, and a new campaign launched by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) features Hunter Sego, a senior student athlete at DePauw University.
The campaign, “Everyday Reality,” brought a video crew to campus recently to capture scenes of Sego in the classroom, on the football field, and at his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta.
A biochemistry major at DePauw and a defensive back and punter on the Tiger football team, Sego was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes as a Madison, Ind., seven-year-old and serves as global ambassador for the ADA. As a youngster Sego lobbied lawmakers to approve the Indiana Safe at School Act, also known as Hunter’s Law, which provides protection to students living with diabetes to allow them to carry and administer life-sustaining supplies to help throughout the day.
It’s been quite a fall for Sego, who Saturday afternoon will play for the Monon Bell with his Tiger teammates at Wabash College. Earlier this fall he was named to the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, presented by Allstate Insurance Co. -- represented by Greencastle Allstate agents Matt Welker and Sally Fowler -- and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
He is among a select group of 22 student athletes and honorary head coach to be recognized with the Good Works Team designation. The award celebrates student-athletes and the honorary head coach for their extraordinary commitment to making a lasting impact off the field.
The new ADA campaign “aims to create urgency about diabetes, help educate others, break down stereotypes, and to correct myths and misunderstandings surrounding the disease,” according to an announcement. “For those who have been diagnosed, diabetes impacts nearly every decision they make daily — from what they’ll eat, wear and do to how they’ll take care of themselves and their loved ones. The ADA is looking to share stories about what it truly means to live with diabetes through its new campaign: Everyday Reality.”
According to Tracey D. Brown, CEO of the American Diabetes Association, “Diabetes carries a social burden, as too many Americans wrongfully assume the disease is the result of poor choices. We must work to bend the curve and change people’s mindsets about diabetes, which will, in turn, help them change behaviors to better manage the disease and reduce the risk of complications and increased diagnosis. The only choice we have as a nation is to support people with diabetes and help them not only manage it but also thrive with it while we work toward a cure.”
In the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team presentation, Sego was surrounded by his teammates at the 50-yard line as he was presented the Good Works Team trophy.
“We are thrilled to not only present you with this trophy, but to inform you that we are sending to you New Orleans to take part in the halftime show at the Allstate Sugar Bowl alongside the rest of the Good Works team in January,” Greencastle Allstate agent Welker said. “You will be joined by 21 other college football players from around the nation whose community service will be recognized.”
In addition to his appearance on national television during the halftime show, Sego will spend the day with legendary Florida University quarterback Tim Tebow.
Sego was chosen for the Allstate honor from a pool of 169 nominees — 11 players from the Football Bowl Division and 11 from the Football Championship Division, Divisions II, III and the NAIA.
In addition to Sego and coach Larry Kindbord of Washington University in St. Louis, the complete 2019 Good Works Team is made up of Johnathan Lloyd, Duke; Dalton Risner, Kansas State; Kielan Whitner, Syracuse; Patrick Laird, University of California, Berkley; Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia; Freedom Akinmoladun, Nebraska; Nic Weishar, Notre Dame; Caleb Kelly, Oklahoma; Chase Moore, Texas; D’Cota Dixon, Wisconsin; Jared Henning, Bemidji State; Kyle Kilgore, Bethel (Minnesota); Drew Bevelhimer, Butler; Nathan Clayberg, Drake; Ethan Levin, Macalester College; Trent Solsma, Morningside College; Nick Leverett, North Carolina Central; Easton Stick, North Dakota State; Jackson Erdmann, Saint John’s University; and Jon Dicke, Southwest Minnesota State.