I’m always struck by how many people have diabetes in America.  NIH estimates that 7% of the population has diabetes. That’s over 20 million people!  While the vast majority have type II, or adult onset diabetes, about 1 million people have type I, or juvenile diabetes, like my brother Andy.  Type 1 is often referred to as insulin-dependent, because people living with type 1 cannot make their own insulin and must take shots of insulin to control blood sugar levels.

I’m sure you know someone with diabetes, but did you know that these celebs also have diabetes?

Hollywood starlette Halle Berry

Tween pop star Nick Jonas

Designing Women’s Delta Burke

New Years Eve’s Dick Clark

Jerry Mathers aka the Beaver

American Idol Judge Randy Jackson

6 time Emmy award winner Victor Gerber has had type 1 diabetes for 45 years and is actively involved with fundraising for diabetes research

The legendary Patti LaBelle

Mary Tyler Moore has been extremely active in diabetes and stem cell research fundraising

82 year old jazz legend B.B. King

LA Dodgers pitcher David Wells

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev

David Crosby of Crosby, Stills and Nash

Check out the full article ABC ran on celebrities with diabetes: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/DiabetesNews/story?id=4034836&page=1