BOSTON, PORTLAND, Maine and HARTFORD, Conn., Jan. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston Celtics and Sun Life Financial have partnered once again for Fit to Win, a program aimed at improving the health and well-being of children, as well as promoting diabetes education. Timed to coincide with NBA Fit Week, Fit to Win will be hosted at YCMAs in Greater Boston, Portland, ME, and Hartford, CT.

THE PROGRAM: Throughout Fit to Win, children in grades 3 to 6 participate in daily workouts and are encouraged to maintain a nutritious diet and make healthy lifestyle choices, such as limiting TV or other screen time. Over the course of four weeks the kids track their fitness and healthy habit results, and at the end receive Celtics-themed prizes.

The four-week program begins at each YMCA site with a press conference and pep rally where the kids will get their activity tracking sheets, learn their exercises, and officially join Fit to Win by signing their draft contracts.

At the end of the program, the top ten participants from each region will be invited to a special championship event to celebrate their four weeks of dedication and hard work. The event will be held on March 25 at the Celtics practice facility in Waltham, and will include appearances from current Celtics players.

The Fit to Win program is an extension of the diabetes prevention initiative #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes, an annual fundraising campaign in November that to date has raised $210,000 for the YMCA of Greater Boston's Diabetes Prevention Program. Fit to Win is a major component of Sun Life's ongoing commitment to inform Americans about the risk factors and health consequences associated with diabetes. The program was launched in 2014 to focus on children and their need for early education about diabetes prevention, healthy living, and fitness.

For more information about the Celtics partnership with Sun Life Financial and its community involvement, go to www.celtics.com/SunLifeFitToWin and visit www.sunlife.com/usdiabetes.

About the Boston Celtics
A charter member of the Basketball Association of America (which evolved into the National Basketball Association) since 1946, the Boston Celtics have won a record 17 NBA Championships, including eight (8) in a row from 1959–1966, winning their first title in 1957 and their most recent in 2008. The Celtics have long stood for equality, and respect, including hiring the first African American Coach and starting the first all black starting five. In addition, 35 former Celtics players, management or staff have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In December 2002 the team returned to local ownership for the first time since 1963. For more information on the Celtics, log on to www.celtics.com.

About Sun Life Financial 
Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to individuals and corporate customers. Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2016, the Sun Life Financial group of companies had total assets under management of $908 billion. For more information please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

In the United States, Sun Life Financial is one of the largest group benefits providers, serving more than 60,000 employers in small, medium, and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of products and services in the U.S. includes Disability and Absence Management, Life, Dental and Vision, Voluntary, and Stop-Loss insurance. This includes the acquisition of Assurant Employee Benefits in Q1 2016. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us.

Media contacts:

Heather Walker
Boston Celtics
617-854-8072
hwalker@celtics.com

Devon Fernald
Sun Life Financial
781-416-7151
devon.portney.fernald@sunlife.com

SLPC 28059           1/2017            (Exp 1/2022)

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SOURCE Sun Life Financial