ANDY MEAD

• Philadelphia, PA
• Age: 34
• Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 15

The first clue that his health was in question came when Andy Mead strapped on his hockey gear following the week of tryouts for his high school team. He was 16. “I had been losing weight for quite a while. All my equipment was loose on me, and I felt awful,” he says. After meeting with his doctor, Andy’s question was answered—he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. But Mead didn’t trade in his stick and puck for 2 wheels until he met some ex–pro cyclists while attending school in New Mexico. The riding community, the landscape, and the feel of being on a bike got him hooked.

In 2007 and 2008, Mead was a member of Team Type 1’s Corporate Division Team in the Race Across America (RAAM), a feat that has been a real inspiration for his younger brother, who also has type 1 diabetes. Through his athletic pursuits, Mead hopes to encourage other young people to include exercise in their diabetes treatment regimens.

When he’s not cycling, Mead can be found in the lab at the University of Pennsylvania, coffee cup in hand, working toward his PhD in biology with a focus on muscle physiology.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Second place, Member, RAAM 8-Person Corporate Team, 2008
• Member, Winning RAAM 8-Person Corporate Team, 2007 (in world record time)