Author: Scott Coleman
N.C. Office of Rural Health employee Kevin Meese in the Team Joslin jersey he will wear while competing in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Oct. 8.
Oct. 3, 2017 — For as long as he can remember, being physically active has played a key role in Kevin Meese’s life. Now he is channeling his passion for exercise and healthy living into a personal mission.
Meese, an employee at DHHS’ Office of Rural Health, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 1985. But, this only fueled his love for sports and desire to lead a healthy lifestyle.
“I grew up playing various team sports such as youth basketball, soccer and softball, and that continued on for many years after my diagnosis with diabetes,” said Meese, 50. “I wanted to prove to myself and show others that you can lead a full, productive life with this disease.”
In recent years, Kevin’s main physical activity is running. Often you will find him on a lunchtime training run around DHHS’ Dorthea Dix Campus in Raleigh.
In December 2016, Kevin decided it was time to take his passion for raising awareness about diabetes to another level. He will run the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Oct. 8, to raise funds for the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston and their efforts to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
“I’ve gotten much better at managing my diabetes as I’ve grown older, but I feel for children being diagnosed today, and I’m hopeful we can find a cure for them in the very near future,” said Meese.
Kevin carries his mission out through his work as a member of the DHHS Wellness Council since 2014. He played a lead role in the council’s 2015 diabetes initiative by raising awareness about the disease, and participating in various “Miles for Wellness” challenges for the Office of Rural Health.
The Joslin Diabetes Center is a world-renowned center for diabetes treatment and research that is dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes and ensuring that people with diabetes have long, healthy lives. They are an independent, non-profit institution affiliated with Harvard Medical School, and one of only 11 National Institutes of Health-designated Diabetes Research Centers in the U.S.