EURweb.com had the chance to talk with Anderson about a subject that is not funny at all. In fact, it is as close to a living nightmare that many of us will ever get. Anderson, along with singer Angie Stone, is now part of F.A.C.E. (Fearless African Americans Connected and Empowered), an initiative from Eli Lilly and Company that is dedicated to getting the word out to young Blacks in particular about this horrid monster of a disease. Why is a comedic actor best qualified to tell this dreadful tale?
“Well, about seven years ago I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes,” Anderson explained. “I was the first person in my family to be diagnosed with diabetes so it came as a shock. Then, last year, my mother was diagnosed with it. Also my stepfather, who was my daddy growing up, he passed away from complications caused by it a few years ago.”
Though some cannot smile in spite of their pain, Anthony Anderson was full of smiles before, during and after the interview, one can only imagine the type of strength it takes for one not be discouraged in light of such a triple play. But Anderson tells our Lee Bailey that he is on a mission and doesn’t have time to feel sorry for himself.
“I just wanted to bring awareness to it seeing how it has a affected me and my life and then watching programs and advertisements about it, I never saw anybody who spoke to me,” he continued. “You had Wilford Brimley, you had B.B. King and you had Patti LaBelle. I never saw anybody speak to me. Nobody’s speaking to the younger generation. Nobody’s speaking to the younger black male about this disease. If you watch programming about it you think it’s something that old people get. That’s what I grew up thinking. I just wanted to be a part of the initiative to bring the awareness to the African American community because there’s a fifty percent possibility that a child born today will be diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes in the black community. I’d like to try to change that.”
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article courtesy of Eurweb.com
