Fifteen thousand Jonas Brothers fans in Yas Arena, Abu Dhabi, held their breath last November as Nick Jonas sat at his piano under a spotlight, speaking softly about living with diabetes. And then, as he played the first lines of his signature song, A Little Bit Longer, the crowd found its voice — and sang with him.
This song, which includes the refrain A little bit longer, and I'll be fine, is arguably the most moving song ever written openly about living with diabetes.
But Nick is not the only celebrity who has lived with the condition — and beaten it.
Here are three very different stories of famous people who prove life does not stop when you have high blood sugar.
Do your bit
To extend the message of World Diabetes Day (November 14), Landmark Group is back with its Beat Diabetes Walkathon 2011, an initiative to generate awareness about Type 2 diabetes among residents in the region. The campaign, which encourages people to get a blood glucose level test and also pledge to adopt a healthy fitness and dietary regime, will culminate with a walk tomorrow. Last year, more than 10,000 Dubai residents turned up. To be led by Wasim Akram, Pakistani cricketing legend and international spokesperson on managing diabetes, the walk will start at 7am from the Oasis Centre mall on Shaikh Zayed Road. Register at site.
Nick Jonas
Life changed for Nick Jonas when he was 13. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the singer-musician-lyricist, one-third of the Jonas Brothers group, knew every day would now become a struggle to stay ahead of the condition.
At 19, the man-boy whose smile makes teens swoon in their thousands, is a strong advocate and role model for young people with diabetes worldwide.
Nick has his own charity, the Change for the Children Foundation, and works closely with the American Diabetes Association and Bayer Health Care. Bayer runs Nick's Simple Wins, a site that encourages young people with diabetes to focus on small, everyday victories (www.nickssimplewins.com).
"Diabetes is not something I asked for, but it is something I do have to deal with. In a lot of ways, I'm thankful for it. It's actually helped me as person to grow and really blessed me in a lot of ways," Nick told Diabetes Forecast magazine.
"It's made me strong mentally, in the sense where now I think about everything with logic because of diabetes,… Also, I was never any good at math till I got diabetes, and now I have to be really good at math, so it's helped me there, too." (laughing)
While maintaining a rigid eat-healthy plan (‘no pizza for me ever') and exercising with fanaticism ("I have to play my drums if I'm sitting too long in the studio"), Nick has definitely not let his condition choke his talent.
At 19, he remains a part of Jonas Brothers while also going musically solo with Nick Jonas & the Administration; has acted in Broadway; and continues with his movie career (Camp Rock 2, anyone?). Through it all, he remains an inspiration for all young people who have to live with the shot every day.
Bret Michaels
The lead singer for band Poison is a great example of how one can live the busy life of a rock star and television personality and still continue to manage diabetes. This winner of the Celebrity Apprentice pledged his $250,000 (Dh918,275) award to the American Diabetes Association. Diagnosed at the age of six, he has lived with diabetes his whole life, having survived a brain haemorrhage in 2010. His website reveals his intense regime to beat diabetes — four insulin injections and monitoring his blood glucose levels as regularly as eight times a day!
Drew Carey
The central figure of the Drew Carey Show famously lost 80 pounds last year — and then didn't have to touch a diabetes medicine again!
The actor-comedian-game show host embarked on a strict regime, stripping his meals of carbs and sugars and hitting the gym ultra-hard. And then… he lost a whopping 80 pounds! "I'm not diabetic any more. No medication needed," he announced to the world.
How did Carey do this? "No carbs," he told People magazine. Carey's dinners are simply grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. And the only drink he has is water. He also hits the gym for regular cardio-based routines and never works out for less than 45 minutes.
The result: A fit, handsome man who has shown Type 2 diabetes can actually be reversed.
Halle Berry
The stunning actress, a Bond Girl (Die Another Day) and Oscar winner (Monster's Ball), is among celebdom's most vocal diabetes awareness campaigners. Diagnosed with diabetes while shooting for the TV show Living Dolls in 1989, she has gone on to change her lifestyle — and earn herself a super successful career.
Once she woke up from a type 1 diabetes-induced coma, she knew she would have to change her eating and exercise programme if she wanted to live.
"I went into hospital on my last breath, and came out feeling a hundred times better," she has told an English tabloid.
Today, Halle lives on a diet of fresh vegetables, chicken, fresh fish and pasta and has embraced all forms of exercise and yoga.
She takes every opportunity to speak about diabetes and she has not let diabetes subdue her spirit.
"Diabetes turned out to be a gift," she says. "It gave me strength and toughness because I had to face reality."
