Celebs Who Live With Diabetes

“Diabetes turned out to be a gift. It gave me strength and toughness because I had to face reality, no matter how uncomfortable or painful it was,” Berry, 43, told the UK’s Daily Mail.

“I got gestational diabetes, which I didn’t realize at first,” Hayek, 41, recounted to American Baby magazine. “It occurs in women who have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. I didn’t know whether I was feeling bad because I was pregnant or whether something was seriously wrong. I was nauseated for nine months, which can be one of the symptoms.”

When she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age of 13, her whole family "was shocked, “ McGann, 39, wrote on her website. “Could I ever play golf again? As the shock and anger wore off and we educated ourselves about this disease, we realized that with careful management it would be possible for me to live my dream of becoming a pro golfer.”

“If you think you have any chance that you might have diabetes, for God’s sake, go get the blood-sugar test,” Rice, 68, warned ABC News viewers. “It’s a simple test. There’s nothing to it. Absolutely nothing.”

“Just know that you can live a normal, wonderful, terrific, active life,” King, 66, assured fellow diabetes sufferers in Ladies Home Journal. “Every person I know who has diabetes has actually gotten a lot of good from it. They’re still very excited about living and want to do more with their life sometimes because of it.”

While working on a campaign for the type 2 diabetes medication Byetta, Burke, 53, commented, “I want to get people talking about better management of this disease. By addressing diabetes head on, I’m in better control of my blood sugar, and I’m able to pursue my love of acting,” she says. “So let’s talk about proper eating, let’s talk about ways to increase activity, and let’s talk about how medication can play an important role.”

“When I’m working I do mention my diabetes to the director and or stage manager. I let them know that if I say, ‘I need a Coke or some OJ,’ it’s not just idle chatter,” Smart, 58, commented to Rite Aid’s Inner Strength magazine, a publication focused on living well with diabetes.

“You’ve got to always plan,” Moore, 72, informed USA Today readers. “It is a fact of life that if someone invites you out to dinner you have to think, ‘What are they going to be doing when they serve you dinner? How quickly are they going to get it on the table from the time I arrive? When should I take my shot? What should I eat of what’s available?’”

“You can take hold of the situation. I feel great now,” LaBelle, 65, revealed to People magazine in 2008. “I live the right way. I wear fierce clothes. God has blessed me. Everything I do now, I do it proud. I am a diaabetic!"

“In the days leading up to her nomination, there were several media reports suggesting that Judge Sotomayor (age 55) should not be considered for this position simply because she has Type 1 diabetes,” Dr. R. Paul Robertson, president of the American Diabetes Association, told Time. “The advancements in the management of Type 1 diabetes have been just amazing over the last two decades, and the ability of people to manage their diabetes successfully has been proven. People with diabetes can function and live a long and healthy life.”

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