One in five people living with diabetes suffer from damage called diabetic nerve pain. Comedian, actor and host Cedric the Entertainer is personally connected.
Cedric’s father, who is currently living with diabetes, has diabetic nerve pain (diabetic peripheral neuropathy) – often felt as a burning, shooting pain in his feet and hands. And just like any good son, Cedric is using his voice to tell everyone he knows with diabetes that you don’t have to live in pain anymore. BlackDoctor.org recently spoke with Cedric to see why he’s so passionate about encouraging people to start a conversation with their doctors.
BDO: How is your family health history?:
CTE: Fortunately, my health is doing well. My dad has been dealing with Type 2 diabetes since ’09 so I’ve seen what it can do to a person, their body and family.
BDO: How did your relationship with the American Diabetes Association come about?:
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CTE: Started when I was hosting Millionaire and they being one of the sponsors, I found out about the work they were doing with diabetic nerve pain and SteponUp.com and thought it would be great to help others as well.
BDO: What would you say to a family member who has diabetes?: CTE: First thing people should do is simply go see your doctor, man. People get diagnosed with diabetes and think they could handle it themselves, but they can’t. You know everybody has their own thoughts about how to handle something: chicken feet, Vick’s vapor rub, all of that. But people need to just follow your doctor’s orders. Don’t try to face these things alone. Think you can self diagnose the issue? Don’t and get some help.
BDO: What’s next for you?CTE: A new movie with Chris Rock called Top 5, comes out December 5th, 2014. The Soul Man the new season is on its way and a new show I’m filming called Cedric’s Barber Battle, where barbers go head to head to see who is the best is being filmed right now.
BDO: With your busy schedule, how do you stay healthy?
CTE: Honestly, I changed my diet. I had to. Now I’m eating a lot of vegetables. I try to keep my body looking right through a lot of stretching and Pilates. I’m not much of a runner, but I try to get in some Pilates in the morning and before bed.
Cedric’s dad isn’t the only one with a health connection. The Rosetta Boyce Kyles Women’s Pavilion at SSM St. Mary’s Health Center in St. Louis, Cedric’s hometown, will be named after Cedric’s mother, Rosetta Boyce Kyles. The women’s pavilion, currently in development stages, will serve a full spectrum of women’s health care needs; from adolescence through post-menopause clinical care, with a focus on women’s health, not only in the traditional areas of obstetrics and gynecology, but also in areas as diverse as sports medicine and cardiology. The pavilion will be one of the first comprehensive women’s health centers of its kind in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
To learn more about diabetic nerve pain, go to
Steponup.com. There’s a free assessment test you can take and bring the results with you on on your next doctor visit.
