Star sheds light on
diabetes for Hawaii

An isle conference examines
ways to control the disease

About 1,500 Hawaii diabetics, family members and caregivers were "Touched by an Angel" yesterday at a conference at the Convention Center.

Della Reese: The actress-singer addressed isle conference in her real-life role as diabetic

Actress-singer Della Reese, who won an Emmy Award nomination and other awards for her performance in the television hit, addressed the conference in a different role -- as a Type 2 diabetic.

She shared her experience, information and advice at a day-long Taking Control of Your Diabetes conference featuring workshops, hands-on sessions and health fair exhibits.

Steven Edelman, founder and director of the nonprofit Taking Control of Your Diabetes organization in San Diego, said about 17 million Americans have the disease, an epidemic in the United States, and about 90 percent have serious weight problems.

Edelman, a University of California professor who has had diabetes since age 15, predicted a potential cure for Type 1 diabetes, resulting when the body doesn't make enough insulin. He said it will come from stem-cell research, but "it's a long way off."

Gene therapy will be the answer to Type 2 diabetes, when the body develops insulin resistance, he said.

Both types of diabetes lead to high blood sugars and are associated with high blood pressure and cholesterol and heart disease and stroke, he said.

Edelman urged diabetics to be their own health advocates, to get exercise and develop good eating habits. "Everything in moderation," he said. Even one or two drinks of alcohol "probably are good for you."

Reese, in an interview, said everything she knew about diabetes was negative when she was diagnosed about five years ago. Several close friends had died of the disease, she said.

She was walking down the stairs of a two-story house in Salt Lake City, where "Touched by an Angel" was taping, when a pain hit the top of her head, forcing her to sit on the steps, she said. "Then it was gone."

She went on to work, taping the show with singer Winona Judd and a gospel choir, but didn't remember anything between the director's call for "action" and "cut," she said.

Reese was taken to the hospital there, but was never told what she had until she flew to Los Angeles and went to Cedars-Sinai Hospital, she said.

Reese said she decided she was responsible for her life so she began to collect as much information as she could about diabetes and what she could do about it.

She began taking Avandia, a drug made by GlaxoSmithKline to make her body more sensitive to the insulin it was making, and she began making lifestyle changes.

"This had to be conquered, so I set out to conquer it," she said.

Reese said, "I never exercised five minutes of my entire life. I had to change my mind about that." Preferring the word "activity" to "exercise," she began working out on a weight machine and stationary bike and doing aqua aerobics.

She gave up going to bed every night with a bowl of butter pecan ice cream and grabbing potato chips and Snickers whenever she was hungry, she said.

She's lost about 20 to 25 pounds and intends to lose more, she said. "But I'm living my life with this. It's possible to have a wonderful life. You just have to be constantly aware of your body."

She started "Take Della's Challenge: Be Stronger Than Diabetes," an information campaign sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, to help others manage their disease better.

"My fans have taken care of me since I was 6 years old. They've taken me out of the ghetto to Bel Air Road in Los Angeles. This is the least I can do to help them," she said.

Her booklet, with advice and diabetes-friendly recipes, and a motivational music CD with one of her songs are available at no cost by calling toll- free (866) 463-6342 or visiting www.delladiabetes.com.