'I'm a Happier Person Than I Was Before': Actress Elizabeth Perkins of Showtime's 'Weeds'

15 Jan 2008 20:32 Africa/Lagos


'I'm a Happier Person Than I Was Before': Actress Elizabeth Perkins of Showtime's 'Weeds' Shares Her Story of Diagnosis, Treatment, and Coping With Type 1 Diabetes in Hollywood

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Actress Elizabeth Perkins has come a long way in the few years since she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 44. "I'm actually a happier person than I was before I was diagnosed," she tells the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) consumer magazine, Diabetes Forecast, in the February 2008 issue. In this exclusive interview Perkins discusses her diagnosis, treatment regimen, and the ways in which having diabetes has made an impact on her Hollywood career.


Perkins, who has received multiple award nominations for her role in the critically acclaimed Showtime series Weeds, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2005 while filming the first season of the show. "I felt completely overwhelmed that first year on the show, and I didn't tell anybody I had diabetes. All of a sudden I was in my trailer at work, testing my glucose, and shooting myself up, and I was really scared and felt very alone and completely in over my head...it took me a good year and a half to embrace this and say, proudly, 'I'm diabetic and I'm in control of my disease.'" Type 1 diabetes commonly develops in children, but can occur at any age.


Although Perkins was already familiar with healthy dieting and regular exercise to stay fit for the cameras, having diabetes allowed Perkins to make another important change in her lifestyle. "I really learned to listen to my body and to know what I needed. And there are times I need to rest, and before I never allowed myself to do that."


The experience of coping with the illness has helped Perkins to develop her Weeds character, Celia Hodes. "I was testing my blood, learning how to draw syringes, and injecting myself, unbeknownst to everybody around me...I think that definitely translated into my character: I was just sort of out on a limb, on my own, and there was not going to be anybody to save me except myself." And now? "I'm actually a happier person than I was before I was diagnosed. I have a much greater perspective on the world around me."


Also in this issue:


More American women than men -- twenty-nine percent -- die of heart disease. Recent research has revealed that heart disease differs in crucial ways between men and women, including the symptoms of and age at which a heart attack occurs and the sudden increase in risk of heart disease during and after menopause, as compared to a gradual increase in risk for men as they age. This information, along with articles that share tips about protecting your heart and keeping your feet healthy, are in a special section of Diabetes Forecast in recognition of American Heart Month.


In addition, the February 2008 issue brings you stories about:
-- Everything you need to know about hypoglycemia.
-- ADA's newest National Youth Advocate.
-- Recipes that give staple winter fruits fresh new flavors.


Diabetes Forecast has been America's leading diabetes magazine for 60 years. Each full-color issue offers the latest news on diabetes research and treatment. Its mission is to provide information, inspiration, and support to people with diabetes, helping them to live a healthier lifestyle, control their diabetes, and prevent or treat its many complications. The magazine is published monthly by the American Diabetes Association.


The American Diabetes Association is the nation's premier voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information and advocacy. The Association's mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. Founded in 1940, the Association provides services to hundreds of communities across the country. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit http://www.diabetes.org/. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.


Source: American Diabetes Association

CONTACT: Dayle Kern of the American Diabetes Association,
+1-703-549-1500 ext 2290


Web Site: http://www.diabetes.org/