Inspiring international celebrities living with T1D
If you’re living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), you’re in excellent company. Some of the biggest names in sport, politics, and the arts have stories of overcoming any challenges T1D has thrown at them to excel in their fields.
We’ve curated a diverse list of international stars who’ve not only managed their condition, but soared to incredible heights. From Hollywood and the catwalk to the political stage and sporting arenas, T1D hasn’t stopped these global icons from having an impact on the world.
Also check out our Aussie celebs with T1D.
1. Nick Jonas, actor and musician
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US actor and singer Nick Jonas, 31, from The Jonas Brothers, is an active ambassador to the T1D community, having co-founded the American charity Beyond Type 1, and is known for connecting with fans who also have the condition. He visibly wears his Dexcom continuous glucose monitoring system (CGM) on stage, and has even written a song, A Little Bit Longer, about his journey with T1D.
“The technology is sort of a badge of honour in a way for us diabetics,” he told Stat News. “I think any time you can take the power back in something, it’s an amazing feeling and empowering. I proudly wear my Dexcom on my arm and wear a cut off shirt on stage to show it. That funny way of normalising it on a tour stage is really fun for me.”
2. Theresa May, politician
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The second woman to serve as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 67-year-old Theresa May wasn’t diagnosed with T1D until she was in her forties. It’s thought she may be the first world leader to serve after a T1D diagnosis – but shouldn’t be the last! Theresa is adamant that having T1D never held her back from her duties.
“Diabetes doesn’t affect how I do the job or what I do. It’s just part of life… so it’s a case of head down and getting on with it,” she told the Mail on Sunday.
“It doesn’t and will not affect my ability to do my work. I’m a little more careful about what I eat and there’s obviously the injections, but this is something millions of people have… I’m okay with needles, fortunately.
“Tiredness – speak to any politician and they will tell you the hours they work. Tiredness can be part of the job. It is full on.”
3. Lila Moss, model
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The 21-year-old model – and daughter of supermodel Kate Moss – caused a sensation when she wore her insulin pump on the catwalk during 2021 Milan Fashion Week. When she was diagnosed with T1D as a child, Lila has said all she knew about the condition was what she had learned watching TV show Hannah Montana (which featured a character with T1D).
“When they told me, I was kind of in shock,” Lila told Vogue. “I was like, I didn’t even know what that means, and then the reality set in of like, you’re gonna have this forever.”
But she says she has settled into life with T1D now, and when she meets people who ask what her pump is, she tells them it’s her “bat phone”.
4. Ed Gamble, comedian
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Known as a stand-up comedian and for his popular podcast Off Menu with James Acaster, 38-year-old Ed predictably sees the funny side of T1D, and talks about it in his stand-up shows. Ed told Health Awareness that his T1D has actually improved his quality of life.
“I also have to make sure I’m looking after myself far more than I used to,” he said.
“I went through a stage when I was younger of binge eating and drinking, not really focusing on what I was doing to my body and my diabetes suffered as a result of that. Now, I have a much better quality of life because I’m more focused on my diabetes. Yes, it’s more work, but I feel a lot better about it.”
5. Este Haim, musician
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The 38-year- old singer is best known as a member of the pop-rock band Haim, along with her sisters Alana and Danielle. Este has spoken about her life with T1D and said, “I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2000 and from then it was my dad’s mission for us to play as many charity gigs to help find a cure for diabetes.
“The trick is to stay as healthy as possible. There are times when I think, ‘Why do I have to put up with this and nobody else has to deal with it?’ But it has become part of my life now.”
Este says she didn’t take her diabetes as seriously as she should have and passed out at Coachella, and was then diagnosed with stage three kidney disease.
“I made a promise to my sisters, my boyfriend, my parents, my friends, and myself that I would do everything I could to take care of my body because I want to be around for them and playing bass until I’m 110,” she told NY Mag.
6. Nacho, soccer player
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Spanish soccer star José Ignacio Fernández Iglesias, best known as Nacho, is credited with being the first person with T1D to score in a World Cup. The 34-year-old currently plays for Saudi Pro League club AI-Qadish, after being a star at Real Madrid for 23 years.
Speaking about his diagnosis, Nacho said, “On the Friday the doctor told me there was no way I could go on playing football. Imagine any 12-year-old kid being told that. It was awful. On the Monday I went back into the hospital and I saw a different doctor.
“I was so happy because he said the opposite was true. He said sport was the most important thing for me and I had to carry on playing and competing. It wasn’t true that my condition meant I couldn’t be a sportsman. And here I am still fighting.”
7. Sharon Stone, actress
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Hollywood actress Sharon Stone made headlines in 2001 when she suffered from a massive stroke, a trauma she said took seven years to heal. The 66-year-old hasn’t spoken publicly as much about her T1D but she does use her profile to support T1D organisations. And it’s clear Sharon prioritises her health – when asked her secret to looking great, she replied, “My secret is no secret. I just do all the things you’re supposed to do.
“I eat right, I sleep, I work out, I’m happy. I choose the happy, healthy things. I don’t choose the bad, unhealthy, unhappy things.”
8. Mary Tyler Moore, actress
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Diagnosed in her 30s, late TV actress and star of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mary didn’t speak publicly about her T1D for quite some time, but she eventually became an outspoken advocate. She was the international chair of JRDF from 1984 until her death in 2017, testified before US congressional committees into diabetes, and helmed public service campaigns to help promote more awareness, funding, and research about the condition.
“When the doctor said I had diabetes, I conjured images of languishing on a chaise longue nibbling chocolates. I have no idea why I thought this,” she said.
9. Wasim Akram, cricketer
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Former Pakistani cricket captain turned commentator and coach, 58-year-old Wasim was diagnosed in 1997 in the middle of a test cricket series. He’d been losing weight, and becoming tired and thirsty, so his father insisted he see a doctor.
“I remember what a shock it was because I was a healthy sportsman with no history of diabetes in my family, so I didn’t expect it at all,” Wasim said. “It seemed strange that it happened to me when I was 30, but it was a very stressful time and doctors said that can trigger it.”
Determined to continue his cricket career, Wasim worked hard by carefully controlling his diet and exercise. He continued to play world class cricket, and went on to become a cricket legend while injecting insulin three times a day.
10. Gary Hall Jr, US swimmer
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Gary is a renowned US swimmer, winning 10 Olympic gold medals over three Olympics. Known for his showbiz flair on the pool deck, the 49-year-old comes from a swimming family, with both his grandfather and his father representing their country. Gary was 21 years old and preparing for the Sydney Olympics when he was diagnosed with T1D.
“I’d spent my life dedicated to my body, to human performance, minding my health, eating right and exercising,” Gary said. “The diagnosis came out of nowhere, there was no family history. I was shell-shocked. I had no idea what it meant.”
After being told by doctors he should give up on his swimming career, Gary kept searching until he found an endocrinologist who gave him hope.
“What [my endocrinologist] said after our first consultation was: ‘It hasn’t been done before. But let’s give it a try’,” Gary said. “I didn’t need a locker-room-style uplifting speech, I needed someone to give me permission to try. I had to learn to train all over again.
“When I was diagnosed in March 1999 nobody had competed at the Olympic Games with type 1 diabetes. I became the first athlete to do that in any sport. Then I became the first athlete to medal with type 1 diabetes. The team I had supporting me really empowered me. The way we managed my diabetes to achieve that success has changed what is now taught in medical school.”
11. Jean Smart, actor
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Emmy-award winner Jean, 72, has been a favourite for her TV shows, from Designing Women in the 80s to her current award-winning show, Hacks. Jean is an advocate for people with T1D, volunteering for several organisations, and has appeared before US Congress to ask for continued government support for T1D research.
”What I really pray for is that the next generation of young, beautiful children like these will never know the uncertainty and fears of being diabetic or the physical toll it takes on their bodies,” she told Congress.
Jean credits her T1D with helping her begin her acting career.
“My mother insisted that I stay in Seattle for college,” she told The New Yorker. “I had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 13, and she still hadn’t gotten over that by the time I was getting ready to graduate high school.”
Jean enrolled in theatre at the University of Washington, and her career took off from there.
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