CHICAGO, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Chicago Bears' quarterback Jay Cutler and Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) have already helped send 44 children to American Diabetes Association diabetes camps next summer - with four games left in the NFL season.

Through the Touchdowns for Diabetes campaign, Lilly donates money to the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) camp scholarship fund for each of Cutler's touchdowns and pass completions in the 2009 season - $1,000 per touchdown (roughly the cost to send one child to diabetes camp for an entire week) and $100 per completion. Visit www.touchdownsfordiabetes.com for more information.

Through 12 games of this NFL season, Cutler has thrown 17 touchdowns, run for one touchdown and completed 261 passes, for a running total of 44 scholarships. Lilly will make a final donation to the ADA next year based on Cutler's full season performance.

Lilly, Cutler and the ADA announced the partnership at the start of the NFL season in September. The ADA is the largest provider of diabetes camps in the world and is serving as the national champion for Touchdowns for Diabetes. Lilly has a long history of supporting diabetes camps, including more than $2 million in product donations to camps in the United States in 2009.

Cutler today also released the next episode of his Web video series - called "Jay Cutler's Journey with Diabetes." The videos detail Cutler's life with diabetes on and off the field and are available on touchdownsfordiabetes.com, jaycutlersix.com and the multimedia section of chicagobears.com.

Since learning he had type 1 diabetes after his second season in the NFL, Cutler has worked to help inspire children with diabetes to achieve their goals - and let them see that diabetes doesn't have to stop them from being who they want to be.

After playing in his first NFL Pro Bowl in February, Cutler teamed up with Lilly in the offseason to visit children's hospitals across the country and visit with families affected by diabetes.

"The kids and families I've met through my hospital visits are so inspiring to me - they handle their situations with such strength," Cutler said. "I know how important these diabetes camps are to children and families. Every child with diabetes should have the chance to experience diabetes camp, and with my impact on the field and Lilly's support, we can continue to make this happen."

Children with diabetes, particularly those newly diagnosed, often feel like no one understands how they feel or knows what it's like to have diabetes. Diabetes camps are an important place for children with diabetes to connect and become empowered to learn more about managing their disease.

"It's easy for children - and their families - to feel overwhelmed and isolated by the challenges that diabetes presents, but they need to remember that they are not alone," said George Huntley, chairman of the board of the American Diabetes Association. "Jay Cutler is showing the world that he is proactively managing his disease and fighting diabetes. He is an inspiration to people with diabetes and we are thankful to Jay and Lilly for their support in helping us raise awareness about this serious disease and raise money to support our camp program through Touchdowns for Diabetes."

For more information on diabetes camps, visit:

American Diabetes Association - http://www.diabetes.org/camp

Diabetes and Education Camping Association - http://www.diabetescamps.org/