What started a year ago as a creative way to encourage people with diabetes to stay active has grown into a global campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of moderate exercise for people with diabetes and help fund two vital diabetes charities.

The Big Blue Test, an initiative started by the Diabetes Hands Foundation (DHF) in 2009, takes place every November 14 during World Diabetes Day. People with diabetes are invited to test their blood sugar, do 14 minutes of activity, test again and share the results. In 2009, more than 2,000 people took the Big Blue Test and saw the impact of exercise on their blood sugar.

Christy Tombalakian, a person with diabetes, took the Big Blue Test and saw her 14 minutes of walking translate into a 20 percent drop in her blood glucose reading. For Christy, the results were evident: “Even something as simple as walking around the block can make a huge difference.”

For 2010, the Big Blue Test is even bigger! Together with Roche Diabetes Care, makers of ACCU-CHEK® diabetes products and services, DHF is aiming for a minimum of 100,000 views of its Big Blue Test promotional video. To help the foundation reach this goal, Roche has underwritten the production of the video and will make a donation for every view the video receives up to $75,000. DHF will use the donation to help the Life for a Child program, run by the International Diabetes Federation, and Insulin For Life. These two global, humanitarian organizations provide diabetes medication and supplies to children in the world’s poorest countries.

“Every time someone watches this video, it will make a real contribution to someone actually staying alive,” said Ron Raab, President of Insulin For Life. He added: “These donations go a long, long way. In places we assist, like Ecuador, less than 50 dollars keeps a person needing insulin alive for an entire year as it covers the transport cost for us to send the donated insulin.”

Visit BigBlueTest.org to watch the videoand participate in the event on Nov. 14.