Presented by American Family Insurance, January is WolvesCare month, a time in which the focus is on brightening the lives of Minneapolis children suffering from terminal or long-term illness.

The latest event was on Monday, as TV broadcaster Tom Hanneman and players Michael Doleac, Sebastian Telfair and Gerald Green led a diabetic-friendly cooking session at the Way Cool Cooking School in Eden Prairie.

"It means a lot to the American Diabetes Association and the kids that the Timberwolves take the time to come out and just spend the time with the kids," said Minnesota area coordinator of the ADA Carol Holten. "They love to do anything that involves professional sports and eating is a part of their lives. To be able to do it with these guys is very special."

Green's favorite part of the meal was the chicken, but he also said that he learned from the children.

"(I learned) about where to put the meat in the pan," he said. "I don't know anything about cooking, but I learned how to cook meatballs and how to chop it up and put the ingredients in. I learned how to make a meal real fast."

Each team of children cooked a different part of the meal with the supervision of a Timberwolves representative. Although the meal was meant to be diabetic-friendly, Holten also pointed out that the diabetic diet is not abnormal.

"The diabetic diet is definitely something that most people should follow, she said. "It helps kids realize that they aren't different in having to eat healthy."

The event aims to heighten awareness of the disease, especially as it affects children at a young age.

"(We hope to bring) more awareness on diabetes," Holten said. "It affects everyone, especially kids. Any program that we have with the American Diabetes Association we need help and support in making it known that diabetes is an epidemic."

Furthermore, added Holten, the prevalence of diabetes is on the rise.

"Diabetes is something that is starting to affect all of us," she said. "Just be aware of the risk factors and other things that can happen in your life that can make you at risk."

"It's always fun to put a smile on somebody's face," Green said of the experience. "Coming out here, bonding with them, they're even showing me things that I don't know about cooking. It's always a great time spending time with the kids."