Tom Hanks
- Disease: Type 2 diabetes
Tom Hanks is an American actor and filmmaker who starred in a lot of comedies and dramas. He is one of the most popular actors in the world and is also considered an American cultural icon. Hanks won two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor after starring in Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994).
In addition, he’s the recipient of a total of six Academy Awards nominations, 7 Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play, a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama, to name a few.
During a 2013 interview, Hanks publicly said that when he visited his doctor, medical tests showed that he had been suffering from type 2 diabetes since he was 36 years old.
About this disease: Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the way your body metabolizes sugar (glucose), your body’s important source of fuel. In type 2 diabetes, your body either resists the effects of insulin – a hormone that regulates the circulation of sugar in your cells, or does not produce enough insulin to maintain a normal level of glucose. Unfortunately, there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, but you can manage your condition through a balanced diet, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight – if these indications are not enough, you may need diabetes medication or insulin.
