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17 Famous People With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes

Famous People With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes:

Introduction

There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs when an individual’s pancreas stops producing insulin. An estimated 1.25 million people in the US have Type 1 diabetes. Usually, people with Type 1 diabetes are diagnosed during their childhood. 

The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes include:

  • vomiting;
  • excessive thirst;
  • nausea;
  • itching skin, especially around the genitals;
  • visual disturbances;
  • fatigue;
  • weight loss;
  • frequent urination.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin.

Type 2 diabetes can typically be managed well with a combination of oral medications, physical activity, and healthier meal plan choices.

List Of Famous People With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes:

#1 Larry King

In 1987, King survived a heart attack and bypass surgery. In 1995, his doctor told him he had Type 2 diabetes.

During an interview, Larry said:

”One of the big reasons that I am able to be 81, almost 82 years old, and still stay healthy is because I think work is a big factor in my life.”

King went on to say:

”I’ve had the heart attack and heart surgery, I defeated prostate cancer, have Type 2 diabetes, but I remain in good health. Also, even at my advanced age, having two teenage boys keeps me young.”

#2 Halle Berry

She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. In 2007, Halle improved her diabetes with a healthy diet. In addition, Berry said that she is no longer a Type 1 diabetic and did not need to take insulin at all. She said:

“The keto lifestyle offers so many benefits such as weight loss, appetite control, more energy, and better mental performance.”

Berry continued:

“If you’re like me, you can possibly reverse diabetes and you’ll experience better physical endurance, better skin and also less acne if that’s an issue.”

However, Halle has recently revealed that she is using medication again.

#3 Casey Johnson

Casey Johnson was the heiress of the Johnson & Johnson empire. On  January 4, 2010, she was found dead of natural causes related to diabetes.

The coroner said that Casey had “a long history of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus that was poorly-controlled.” 

#4 Kareena Farfan

Farfan was diagnosed with Type 1 di­a­bet­es at age six. She said:

”At the time of my di­ag­no­sis a med­ical of­fi­cial spec­u­lat­ed that I would not live past the age of 16 with­out be­com­ing se­ri­ous­ly ill.”

Kareena later added:

”I was ini­tial­ly placed on Hu­mulin N and R and was prone to hy­po­gly­caemic episodes.”

#5 Patti LaBelle

In 1996, she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

“When I was diagnosed, that was a wake-up call to stop frying the chicken.” 

LaBelle continued:

“[Now] it’s more salads and I carry my pots and pans on the road with me to make sure I’m eating the proper foods because if I cook it, I know what’s in it.”

#6 Drew Carey

He had Type 2 diabetes. After he was diagnosed, he lost about 80 pounds in 6 months. He told People:

“I’m not diabetic anymore. No medication needed.”

#7 Jay Cutler

In 2008, his team trainer said to him:

“I think you need to see a doctor. I think you have type 1 diabetes.” 

During a recent interview, Jay recalled:

“I knew the word ‘diabetes,’ but not much more than that.”

Cutler added:

”I went to the doctor after leaving the trainer’s office and learned how to take injections and use a glucose meter.”

#8 Nick Jonas

In 2007, Jonas revealed he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 13.

“I found out very quickly it’s a very manageable disease. As long as you’re really diligent.”

On an Instagram post, the singer wrote:

“Prioritizing my physical health, working out and eating healthy and keeping my blood sugar in check.”

Jonas went on to say:

”I have full control of my day to day with this disease, and I’m so grateful to my family and loved ones who have helped me every step of the way.”

#9 Gary Hall, Jr.

In 1999, Gary was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. In addition, his doctors told him that he would never again be able to compete at an Olympic level.

“Shortly after being diagnosed, I was on a bus to a swim team event. I was never a huge fast food guy, but I was in college, so when we went through a drive-through, I got a breakfast sandwich.”

Hall later added:

”I couldn’t believe how much insulin I had to give myself for something that was the size of a baseball – almost twice as much as I needed for a plate of pasta. So I learned that there are better carbohydrates and worse carbohydrates.”

#10 Paula Deen

In 2012, Paula announced that she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

“I made the choice at the time to keep it close to me, to keep it close to my chest.” 

Deen continued:

“I felt like I had nothing to offer anybody other than the announcement. I wasn’t armed with enough knowledge. I knew when it was time, it would be in God’s time.”

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#11 Gabourey Sidibe

In 2017, she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The diagnosis helped Gabourey to go forward with laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

“I truly didn’t want to worry about all the effects that go along with diabetes.”

#12 Lea DeLaria

Lea was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2014. She stated:

“I’ve always been really energetic, but for a year I was feeling really weird, I didn’t know what was going on.”

DeLaria also said:

”Once we did the blood test and we understood what was going on, it was great. And now I’ve got my energy back. I feel like me and everything is great.”

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#13 Bret Michaels

Bret was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 6 years old. 

“Diabetes is a very complicated disease. When you’re diabetic, there’s this everyday balance. The pancreas is no longer secreting the amount of insulin you need to cover the food intake, your carb intake.”

Michaels continued:

”This is an incurable disease. You treat it with medication and with doing the right thing to stay healthy.”

#14 Victor Garber

He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

”I was diagnosed right around my 12th birthday.”

Garber later added:

”It was out of the blue and we couldn’t really trace it back to anyone in my immediate family, at least at first.”

#15 George Lucas

Lucas found out that he had Type 2 diabetes during his military induction physical.

#16 Tom Hanks

In 2013, Tom was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

“I was heavy. You’ve seen me in movies, you know what I looked like. I was a total idiot.”

Hanks went on to say:

“I’m part of the lazy American generation that has blindly kept dancing through the party and now finds ourselves with a malady,” Hanks told the Radio Times.

#17 Randy Jackson

Jackson was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

“I didn’t listen to any of the pre-diabetes signs.”

Randy added:

”It runs in my family and I should have been more careful.”

References

https://www.today.com/health/nick-jonas-opens-about-life-type-1-diabetes
https://www.independent.co.uk/nick-jonas-type-1-diabetes-fans
https://www.refinery29.com/nick-jonas-type-1-diabetes-coma
https://people.com/nick-jonas-first-diagnosed-with-type-1-diabetes/