UMass Diabetes Center of Excellence Receives a $10.5K Gift From a Grateful Family
Date Posted: Friday, November 02, 2018
Dr. Dale Greiner, Alan Stolarczyk, Joe DiGiorgio, Jonathan Nozzolillo, Blake Aboody, Leah Nozzolillo and Dr. David Harlan
Joey's best friend Joe DiGiorgio came up with the idea over the summer, and friends and family pulled it together in just three months. “We couldn’t believe how successful it was for such short planning,” DiGiorgio said. “Next year we will begin planning much earlier, and it will be even bigger and better.” They created the Joe “Nuzzy” Nozzolillo Memorial Foundation and plan to make the golf tournament an annual fundraiser.
Joe Nozzolillo had been treated at UMass Memorial since being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just after his 10th birthday. He had a great relationship with his care team, however struggled to keep his blood sugars and A1c within range, even with the eventual use of an insulin pump. Persistent diabetic neuropathy caused consistent pain in his legs and feet. He passed away in November of 2017 of complications from diabetes at age 31.
He was the middle of three children, who run the family business, Joey’s Limousine Service of Worcester, started by their grandfather “Joey” in 1946. It was Joe’s older brother Jonathan, who found him passed out on the front steps of their home after school in 1996. He was rushed to the emergency room where his blood sugars were over 900.
“We wanted the money raised by the golf tournament to stay local and help other people being treated for diabetes at UMass,” said Jonathan. “We appreciate all they did for our brother.”
Leah, Jonathan & Joey
Joey played soccer as a child on several teams in Holden, and later indoors at the Greendale YMCA as a teenager. He graduated from St. Johns High School where he was an outstanding coxswain on the crew team. He amassed an incredible group of friends along the way. Joe loved being an uncle to his niece Madison. Friends and family came together to make their first golf tournament fundraiser a huge success, whether by planning, playing, donating, assisting in advance and/or helping at the event.
“Our mother (Celeste) was Joey’s primary caregiver because Dad (also named Joe) was always working,” said his sister Leah. “Mom spent countless hours trying to help manage his diabetes. Staying up late when he couldn't sleep because of high blood sugars, or waking up in the middle of the night with dangerously low blood sugars. Mom would go to the UMass appointments with Joey as they tried to get his neuropathy under control.“
Touring the Diabetes Center of Excellence Research Laboratories
Joe's family and friends were invited to tour the UMass Diabetes Center of Excellence research laboratories.
“I didn’t realize how much diabetes research happens right here in Worcester,” Leah said. “It was impressive to see the state-of-the-art facility, and to hear about the novel research at UMass Chan Medical School, right here in Worcester.”
Michael Brehm, PhD, who also lives with type 1 diabetes (T1D), guided them through the labs and answered their questions.
“The average person doesn’t get to witness the incredible research happening in our backyard, working to put an end to diabetes,” added Jonathan.
