Black Celebrities Living With Diabetes
Stars who manage and raise awareness about the condition.
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Halle Berry - The actress has type 1 diabetes, which means her body doesn't produce insulin needed to break down the body's sugar for energy. People with type 1 diabetes require insulin injections and oral medications to manually control their blood sugar levels. Berry has been an active advocate for diabetes research.(Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Michael Kors)
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Anthony Anderson - Anthony Anderson was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of the disorder. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body stops producing enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin altogether. Anderson, who lost a father to diabetes and whose mother has also been diagnosed with the disease, recently teamed up with the Fearless African-Americans Connected and Empowered (F.A.C.E.). The awareness program teaches the public about type 2 diabetes and lets them know that diabetes is preventable.(Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for The People's Choice Awards)
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Vanessa Williams - The former Miss America is also a type 1 diabetic and has supported charities that fund diabetes research. (Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
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Randy Jackson - The American Idol judge learned he had type 2 diabetes in 2001 after dealing with obesity. His family history of the disease and being African American also put him at higher risk of developing diabetes. He's since lost weight through yoga, exercise, dieting and gastric bypass surgery. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images for GREY GOOSE)
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Patti LaBelle - Singer Patti LaBelle was diagnosed with diabetes after she passed out on stage and was rushed to the doctor. Until that wake up call, she had no idea she had developed the disease. LaBelle who now calls herself a "divabetic," has written healthy cookbooks and incorporated more exercise into her routine. (Photo: Paul Morigi/WireImage)
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Damon Dash - The co-founder of Rocafella Records has been living with type 1 diabetes since he was young. Along with promoting the value of healthy habits, he's an advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
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Dorian Gregory - Actor Dorian Gregory was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was nine years old. Over the years, he's served as an advocate for juvenile diabetes and has motivational talks with young adults and children. (Photo: Michael Bezjian/WireImage)
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Sherri Shepherd - The View co-host and comedian Sherri Shepherd learned she had type 2 diabetes shortly before starting her hosting gig. She says she denied the situation at first, but now puts her energy into advocacy and even asked the writers for her Lifetime sitcom, Sherri, to work diabetes into the show to raise awareness. (Photo: Christopher Peterson/BuzzFoto)
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Ghostface Killah - The Wu-Tang Clan member discovered he was diabetic back in 1996 after incorrectly assuming he had contracted a sexually transmitted disease.(Photo: Steven A Henry/FilmMagic)
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Della Reese - Actress and singer Della Reese was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after she blacked out alone at home and after experiencing dizziness during the taping of Touched by an Angel. She knew very little about the disease and claims there were no symptoms before the diagnosis, but later helped others learn about and manage the condition as a spokesman for the American Diabetes Association. (Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
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Ben Vereen - Ben Vereen learned he had type 2 diabetes in 2007. The Broadway star and singer now works with Taking Control of Your Diabetes, a non-profit dedicated to empowering people living with the disease. Their latest initiative, Start Taking Action Now for Diabetes (S.T.A.N.D.), includes public service announcements featuring Vereen and others who've refused to let the condition hold them back. (Photo: D Dipasupil/FilmMagic)
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Angie Stone - Like Anthony Anderson, the soul singer has teamed up with the Fearless African-Americans Connected and Empowered (F.A.C.E.) diabetes initiative to bring more awareness to the black community.(Photo: Zak Kaczmarek/WireImage)
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J. Anthony Brown - After losing both parents to diabetes complications and being diagnosed with the disease himself, the comedian and radio personality created the J. Anthony Brown Foundation. The organization provides information and funding for patients in need of supplies. (Photo: Jason Merritt/FilmMagic)
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Phife Dawg - After the A Tribe Called Quest rapper was diagnosed with diabetes in 1990, he was put on dialysis in 2000, hospitalized in 2002, and had a kidney transplant in 2008. Last year, after making a full recovery, he took to the stage with Ghostface Killah, Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica, and others to perform at the diabetes benefit Mind.Body.Soul.(Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
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Aretha Franklin - The Grammy Award-winning "Queen of Soul" is also a type 2 diabetic. (Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Jazz at Lincoln Center)