Viola Davis is a household name with a career that includes roles we all know very well. But one thing we perhaps didn’t know about the Oscar-winning actress is that she’s pre-diabetic.
“I had no idea I had it,” Davis told BlackDoctor.org.
She said she didn’t see the pre-diabetic diagnosis coming from her doctor nearly two years ago.
“I’m a healthy woman, I workout 5-6 days a week, I care about what goes in my mouth,” said Davis. “So, that’s why I was confused about the diagnosis. I’m a woman that knows about everything but I knew nothing about this disease.”
Prediabetes is a serious health condition in which a person’s levels of blood glucose (also known as blood sugar) are consistently elevated, but not enough to earn a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Doctors use a simple A1C test, which measures a person’s average
blood glucose level over the past two to three months, to determine if their levels have crossed into the prediabetic territory. This usually happens when your body has issues breaking down insulin, which affects more people than we probably realize.
“I’m one of the 84 million American adults living with prediabetes and I’m sharing my story for the first time in an effort to inspire others to take action against the type 2 diabetes epidemic,” said Davis, who has partnered with Merck as a spokesperson for their documentary film A Touch of Sugar.
The film tackles the type 2 diabetes healthcare epidemic through the lens of the real people that it affects every day, including Davis’s own family.
“My sisters are both struggling with type 2 diabetes and my aunt also died from complications of the disease. Growing up, we just said they had ‘the sugar,’ which didn’t sound that concerning. But, when you look at the facts, there’s nothing harmless about diabetes – it’s a chronic disease that needs to be taken seriously if we’re going to get it under control.”
More than 30 million American adults are living with diabetes – which translates to about 1 in 10 people – and 90 to 95 percent of them have type 2 diabetes. Exercise, healthy eating, and medication, if prescribed, can help people manage type 2 diabetes, but about one-third of adults with the disease are still not at their A1C goal according to the American Diabetes Association.
“The American Diabetes Association is honored to participate in this important documentary, which demonstrates the resiliency of the human spirit and contests the national perception of life with type 2 diabetes,” said Tracey D. Brown, film subject and CEO of the American Diabetes Association. “As someone living with the disease, I stand proudly with
our community and encourage everyone to share what it’s like to live with type 2 diabetes, so we can awaken the world to the everyday realities of this disease. Everybody’s voice counts and matters.”
A Touch of Sugar is told through the voices of patients united in their struggles with this chronic disease. As Shenekqual Robertson-Carter prepares for her wedding, Stewart Perry heads to Capitol Hill, Niurka Rodriguez provides for her family and Susie Katona searches for the guidance she needs, the film explores the many social factors that affect disease management and helps reinforce type 2 diabetes as an urgent public health issue that can’t be ignored, especially among underserved populations.
Through these stories, the film touches on pressing issues affecting patients and families nationwide, such as barriers to treatment, stigma, lack of access to care and nutritious foods, and the need for culturally relevant management tools.
“A Touch of Sugar is an honest depiction of life with type 2 diabetes that puts a much-needed spotlight on the real people affected by it firsthand,” said Conrod Kelly, Executive Director, Diabetes Franchise at Merck. “Although the disease is a result of a combination of genetics, lifestyle, and environment, there are steps we can take together to help reduce its impact on individuals and their families. With this documentary, Merck is dedicated to increasing awareness and inspiring action to ultimately confront America’s type 2 diabetes epidemic head on – one community and one patient at a time.”
People can tune in to watch the documentary when it airs nationally on A&E on November 17 at 7 am ET and FYI Network on November 18 at 10 pm ET and November 23 at 10:30 am ET. You can also head to ATouchofSugarFilm.com to request to watch the film or host a screening. On the website, you’ll find educational resources to help improve diabetes management and a discussion guide to learn more about how you can make a difference in your local community.
Jasmine Browley holds an MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, and has contributed to Ebony, Jet and MADE Magazine among others. So, clearly, she knows some stuff. Follow her digital journey @JasmineBrowley.
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