Team Novo Nordisk welcome Kate Brim as ambassador for 2023

ATLANTA, Ga., May 3, 2023 - World Champion Handcyclist Kate Brim joins the world’s first all diabetes professional cycling team as a sponsored athlete for 2023 as the American Para athlete continue her rapid rise to the top of her sport and targets more success in Para-cycling.

Two years after entering her first race Brim is now World Champion in both the road race and time trial H2 category after finding almost immediate success at both national and international level.

“We’re absolutely over the moon to be able to welcome Kate Brim to the Team Novo Nordisk family,” began CEO & Co-Founder Phil Southerland. “If you don’t know about Kate and her incredible story then you need to keep reading and find out all about her, and hopefully we can do what we can to help to support her as she surely pushes for more success.”

“As soon as I heard about Kate I knew that Team Novo Nordisk was the right place for her. All of our athletes have incredible stories, but Kate’s spinal chord accident and  subsequent diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes happened within such a short space of time, that to see how she’s adapted, not only in her life but in her sport and drove on is awe inspiring.”

Kate Brim was 19 years old with when an unfortunate accident occurred during what should have been routine surgery for a herniated disc did not go as planned, and Brim’s spinal cord was damaged. Shortly after, Brim was also diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and had to learn how to manage the condition as a quadriplegic.

 As part of her rehabilitation Brim started to take part in adaptive sport sessions that included wheelchair rugby and handcycling and a few years later Brim is now at the top of her sport.

“I am so incredibly honored to join Team Novo Nordisk,” said Brim. “Community is of huge importance to me and as I continue to learn and develop, I’m looking forward to being part of the Team Novo Nordisk family.”

“I think maybe the best way to sum things up is a quote that I try to live by from Walter Anderson: Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have – life itself.”

Brim is currently on the road with Team USA in Europe and after staring her season with a victory in Italy, she’s set to compete in upcoming races in Belgium.

“It’s rare that you meet some one who’s new to elite level sport and immediately finds success,” concluded Southerland. “For Kate that’s happened with Hand Cycling and her recent World Cup wins in Maniago, Italy with Team USA in Italy just goes to show that she’s already firing in 2023.”