LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who lives with type 1 diabetes, visited the Friedman Diabetes Institute at Beth Israel Medical Center Tuesday in New York.

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler visited the Friedman Diabetes Institute Tuesday in New York.

Making the appearance in his role as an ambassador for Eli Lilly, the 26-year-old met with pediatric patients, toured the facility and offered inspirational advice.

Late in the 2007 season, Cutler lost 30 pounds, wasn’t throwing the ball with as much strength as usual and felt fatigued. In April 2008, he found out that he was a diabetic and needed daily insulin shots. 

The 6-3, 233-pounder pricks his finger to test his blood sugar several times a day.

“The first thing I do in the morning is test myself to see where I am, and it’s the last thing I do before I go to bed,” Cutler told Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports a year ago.

About 21 million Americans have diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar (glucose), starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.

The Friedman Diabetes Institute at Beth Israel Medical Center offers innovative methods to help patients control blood sugar levels and avoid serious health complications from diabetes, delivering care.

The Institute also conducts both basic and clinical diabetes research, bringing the benefit of their expertise to the five boroughs with their outreach programs which serves Food Kitchens and Pantries, Greenmarkets, Park Department Recreation Centers, City Meals on Wheels, Senior Centers and more on a daily basis.

Cutler also recently attended a diabetes-awareness event at La Rabida Children's Hospital in Chicago.