This little piggy went to save a life

Swine are fine, as far as the regional division of the American Diabetes Association is concerned.

The Central Region of American Diabetes Association's Pennsylvania Affiliate, Inc. kicked off its fourth annual kiss-a-pig campaign yesterday, and asked people to vote -- with donations -- for the candidate they would most like to see pucker up to a porker. The promotion raised more than $14,000 last year, according to the association.

The familiar promotion takes on a special meaning for this cause, said Regional Director Laurie A. Moir. Diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas that results in a deficiency of insulin -- a substance needed to metabolize sugar.

Some diabetics need to inject insulin regularly -- insulin that was once only obtained from the pancreas of a slaughtered pig.

"Pig insulin saved the lives of many people," Moir said. "This is our way of saying thank you to the pig. Even though we can make insulin artificially now . . . pork insulin is used by some people."

Today human insulin is produced by bacteria, she said.

Among the locals who will be campaigning for hog-smooching privileges are Mike "the Mailman" Herr and Tom Palchak, manger of the University Creamery.

Herr's campaign is being managed by Penn State Circle K International, as it has been the last four years, said member Carrie Smith. The student service organization is planning to solicit funds in front of the post office in McAllister Building by selling "ham-o-grams."

"You can send a singing pig to a friend for $5," she said. "It's a good fund-raiser for us. We do it around April Fool's Day."

Palchak, who is running for the first time, said he has not come up with his campaign strategy yet but he hopes to raise quite a bit of money. He just doesn't want to raise enough to win, he said.

"I have some reticence on that point," he said. "I'm not sure how my wife would react."