Earl "The Pearl" Monroe and Diabetes

A native of South Philadelphia, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe began his professional basketball career in 1967 and went on to dazzle fans and players for 13 years with his on-court moves. For 9 of those 13 years he played for a league whom he led to the championship in 1973. His flair and showmanship on the court will forever be remembered by many. He infused basketball with art and finesse, and his distinctive style changed the way professional basketball is played.

Now 65 years old, Earl Monroe is aiming to change the way you think about staying healthy with diabetes. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes himself, Earl is working with Merck on the Diabetes Restaurant Month program to challenge local restaurants to make popular menu items diabetes-friendly.

Earl is challenging you as well. He's challenging you to learn more about taking care of yourself when you have diabetes, such as getting active and making smart food choices when dining out. This 4-time basketball hall-of-famer will be visiting participating restaurants in selected cities to sample delicious diabetes-friendly dishes.

Earl knows first-hand how difficult making healthy diet and lifestyle changes can be for people with type 2 diabetes. He has made it his goal to show you how you can make small changes and smart choices to help manage your condition.