Join us for Divabetic’s first Diabetes Late Nite podcast of the year featuring Rachel Zinman, Arthur Aston, and Patricia Addie Gentle RN, CDCES on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, at 6 PM, EST. Rachel Zinman will be presenting a guided mediation you won’t want to miss!

January’s podcast musical inspiration, R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, who was not living with diabetes, overcame many obstacles and continued to sing after a car crash in 1982 that left him in a wheelchair.

Before the crash, Mr. Pendergrass’s explosive, raw voice earned turned him into an international star and sex symbol. His masculinity, passion, and the joys and sorrow of romance were featured in songs such as Close the Door, Love T.K.O, and other hits that have since become classics.

Teddy’s longtime collaborator Kenny Gamble said, “He had a tremendous career ahead of him, and the accident sort of got in the way of many of those plans.”

Mr. Pendergrass suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down – still able to sing but without his signature power. The image of the masculine, virile lover was replaced with one that drew sympathy.

But instead of becoming bitter or depressed, Teddy Pendergrass created a new identity – that as a role model, Mr. Gamble said.

“He never showed me that he was angry at all about his accident,” Mr. Gamble said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “In fact, he was very courageous.”

After extensive physical therapy, he resumed his recording career. He had Top 10 rhythm and blues hits and gold albums into the ’90s. His voice was less forceful but still recognizable, as he substituted nuance for lung power. Though he could no longer tour, he occasionally returned to the stage in the 1990s and 2000s.

We hope Teddy Pendergrass helps inspire you to focus on the positive in the face of challenges related to managing your diabetes.

Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music by Teddy Pendergrass courtesy of SONY Music.