At the annual meeting of the American Association of Diabetes Educators today, Abbott also announced a donation of $50,000 to California's Camp Bearskin Meadows, which is operated by the Diabetic Youth Foundation. The contribution was made to commemorate the recent combination of Abbott's MediSense business and TheraSense Inc. and to recognize the contributions of Mark Lortz, former TheraSense, Inc., CEO and former Diabetic Youth Foundation board member.

Abbott camping scholarships are distributed based on recommendations submitted by diabetes educators and other health care professionals. Scholarships are awarded to first-time campers and are based on location, need and date of diagnosis. The recommendation period for the next scholarship season will begin in November 2004 and end in January 2005. In November, recommendations can be submitted at http://www.abbottdiabetescare.com/ .

"Diabetes is a very serious and life-changing condition, and it can be particularly difficult for children to learn to accept and manage their condition," said Ed Fiorentino, president of Abbott Diabetes Care, a division of Abbott Laboratories. "We are pleased to be able to help children with diabetes learn more about their condition and to show them that they are not alone -- that there are other children just like them. We are proud to have contributed significantly to camping initiatives for children with diabetes nationwide."

"The alliance between Abbott and the Diabetes Camping Association has had a tremendous impact on the lives of children across the country who suffer from diabetes," said Lorne Abramson, executive director of the Diabetes Camping Association, a resource clearinghouse and networking center for diabetes camping and youth organizations. "As a result of Abbott's generous contributions, hundreds of children have been able to attend diabetes camps nationwide, where they can be in a fun environment with other kids who are just like them and learn first-hand how to manage diabetes by keeping tight control of their blood sugars."

A portion of Abbott's diabetes camp scholarship budget is reserved for the Zula Walters Scholarship fund for children with Type 2 diabetes -- a condition that is increasingly common in youth. In fact, Type 2 diabetes now comprises about 30 percent of new cases of diabetes in the second decade of life.(1) This scholarship was established in 2002 to honor Zula Walters, a founding member of the Diabetes Camping Association who helped establish camps for children with diabetes who have special physical needs or unique cultural backgrounds.

A diabetes camp is a place where children and teenagers with diabetes can learn self-confidence and independence, how to have an active life while living with diabetes, and that they are not alone in their challenges with diabetes. There are more than 150 diabetes camps located in North America and another 150 camps around the world.

"Children can see the doctor for years or read books about diabetes, but the education and experience that they receive at camp doesn't compare," said Theresa Beichler, whose son, Robert, was a recipient of a scholarship and attended Camp Glyndon in Nanjemoy, Md., last year. "This is the only time when the children feel normal, like everyone else, because they are. Without the scholarship, it would not have been possible for my child to attend a diabetes camp."

About Diabetes in Children

Currently, approximately 18.2 million people in the U.S. have diabetes(2), including about 206,000 people under 20 years of age.(3) Approximately one in every 400 to 500 children and adolescents has Type 1 diabetes,(4) with more than 13,000 young people diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes each year.(5) One in three Americans born in the year 2000 will develop Type 2 diabetes.(6) Children and adolescents diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are generally between 10 and 19 years old, obese, have a strong family history for Type 2 diabetes and have insulin resistance.(7)

About Abbott Laboratories

Abbott Diabetes Care, the newly combined business of Abbott's MediSense business and TheraSense Inc., is a leader in the development of innovative products designed to help patients better manage their diabetes. Based in Alameda, Calif., Abbott Diabetes Care designs, develops and manufactures several leading-edge glucose monitoring systems and test strips for use in both home and hospital settings. Among its popular MediSense and TheraSense brands are Precision Xtra(TM), Precision PCx(TM), FreeStyle(R) and FreeStyle Flash(TM). The company also produces Precision Link(R), a diabetes data management system. For more information about Abbott Diabetes Care, visit http://www.abbottdiabetescare.com/ .

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 55,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at http://www.abbott.com/ .