Patti LaBelle Shares Diabetes Story with Congress to Advocate for Better Access to Diabetes Care
November 11,
With November being National Diabetes Awareness Month, soul songstress Patti LaBellemade a recent virtual testimony to Congress to advocate for improved access to diabetes care.
While speaking with The Hill on behalf of The Diabetes Leadership Council, the Grammy-winning singer and entrepreneur shared her experience with diabetes while calling for access to viable healthcare for people with Type 2 diabetes.
She recalled passing out on the stage 26 years ago and thinking it was just due to exhaustion. Once she went to the doctor, she learned that she was a Type 2 diabetic.
&#;I was scared because my mother had amputations, my aunt lost her eyesight, and so many of my family members dealt with diabetes but they didn&#;t have the provisions that I have today to make my diabetes livable,&#; she said.
LaBelle stressed the importance of diabetes healthcare in communities of color, particularly in Black communities where there’s an increased prevalence of diabetes, as noted by the National Institutes of Health.
“As someone who’s
Patti LaBelle: Why I am fighting for greater visibility for diabetic men and women
Diabetes is often invisible to everyone except those living with it, and for too long, minorities have gone without better access to better health care technology.
Patti LaBelle | Opinion contributor
More than 25 years ago, I collapsed onstage while performing. I had no idea what was happening, but that night in the hospital, when I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, my life was forever changed.
At first, I was angry, and I was terrified. I watched my aunt and uncle lose their sight, and my mother lost both her legs before she died in her 60s due to diabetes. I know firsthand the toll that this disease can take. It took me a while to do something about my diabetes. I was in denial. I kept my old unhealthy eating habits. If it was battered or fried, I ate it!
Eventually, I realized my glucose levels weren’t getting any better, and I knew it was time to do something. I made a conscious choice to prioritize my health and change my way of living. I turned to my love of cooking to overhaul my diet. It meant I had to put down the butter and pick up the vegetable steamer. I wo
Patti LaBelle: My Struggle with Diabetes
When Patti LaBelle learned she had diabetes after passing out onstage 14 years ago, the legendary singer said she thought that meant no more fun in the kitchen.
For years, the Grammy Award winner loved to whip up “twelve-egg potato salad, seven-cheese macaroni and all that stuff that I used to eat like crazy,” LaBelle, 64, tells PEOPLE. “I was hooked on fried chicken and pasta.”
Determined to get her diabetes in check, the singer completely revamped the way she cooked – and gave herself an attitude adjustment. “I said, ‘I’m not going to let it get me,’ ” says LaBelle, whose third cookbook, Recipes for the Good Life, comes out this month.
She still gives her meals “diva love,” but LaBelle sticks to recipes from her book s Light and Healthy chapter. “Instead of frying my fish, like I used to do, I sauté it. I spice everything,” says the singer, who also has a line of spice blends. “Because I can t use butter, these days I am a fresh garlic fanatic.”
A typical day’s meal for the original “Lady Marmalade” includes: egg whites, oatmeal, turkey bacon, a little fruit and coffee “with that two percent milk – that is so nasty” for
Patti LaBelleinspired me to create the term &#;Divabetic&#; during a memorable Luther Vandross Tribute Concert in New York City back in
Watching her shine on stage, radiant and dressed to impress, she shared, “I have diabetes. Diabetes doesn’t have me.” Her courage and sparkle made me reflect, “You’re not just a diabetic; you’re a DIVA.”
That’s when the idea of &#;Divabetic&#; popped into my head. Once I got home, I noted the word &#;diabetic&#; in black ink and then creatively added a &#;v&#; in red. It suddenly clicked that the &#;v&#; symbolized Vandross and the divine divas he loved, like Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and of course, Patti LaBelle.
I realized that encouraging Luther’s fans to embrace a fresh perspective (&#;NEW ATTITUDE&#;) on living with diabetes—just like Patti did—could really transform health outcomes.
For the past twenty years, Patti LaBelle has shown the world that you can GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS, and live well with diabetes every day.
While I don’t remember Luther discussing his diabetes openly, I knew he had a huge support system for his music, but when it came to managing his hea
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