A Christmas Peril: Divabetic Mysteries Podcast

Enjoy Divabetic’s 8th Annual Mystery podcast, A Christmas Peril, packed with holiday tips for people living with, at risk, and affected by diabetes.

The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge named Mr. Pincher, almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies. Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic and our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit in the hopes that his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.

Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation.

Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford.

Special thanks to the Houdeshell family and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dions vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir.

In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons that they teach.

Divabetic Mysteries Podcast: Murder Plain As Vanilla Coming in Fall 2023

Divabetic will present its 10th Annual Divabetic Mysteries podcast, Murder Plain As Vanilla, this fall. The cozy mystery podcast features a Murder She Wrote-style whodunit with loads of diabetes and self-care information.

Murder Plain As Vanilla Synopsis

When Max’s arch-nemesis baking sensation Renata Whisk calls late at night, offering a chance to participate in the Visions of Vanilla baking competition, he can’t refuse. After all, it’s an invitation to compete against culinary giants Best-Selling Cookbook Author Lily Frost, Green Thumb Gourment, Hazel Honeywell, and the Cannoli Countess and, most importantly, a chance to pay back his debt owed to his mother for using her credit card at the Jersey Shore to buy kitchen equipment.
He arrives bright and early at the historic Hedge’s Inn in East Hampton, New York, with nothing to lose.  But before his hands touch a flour canister, he discovers the dead body of the competition’s sponsor, Conrad Rivera, the Vanilla King of Madagascar, lying in the Hedges Inn’s bed of roses. As luck has it, Max is the last person to see the Vanilla King alive. Soon, rumors are swirling about Max’s involvement in legendary TV Chef Sweet Sally Buttercup’s untimely demise at Central Park’s Gingerbread Man competition. To prove his innocence, he enlists his team, USA Today Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, health educators MaryAnn Nicolay MEd, NDTR, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, and his mother, Mama Rose Marie. But when another baker’s dead body is found near Max’s baking station, even his mother refuses to taste his newest recipe. Could it be as lethal as a cup of kale hot cocoa?
Now, armed with only Renata Whisk’s Puffed Pastry recipe, a rolling pin, and his team’s expertise in solving murders and dispersing diabetes health information, Max has no choice but to solve the mystery or at least die trying. To win the Visions Of Vanilla grand prize, it will be a fight to the death.
This popular podcast will be available for free on all streaming platforms. Stay tuned for more details!

Tune in to Divabetic’s 9th Annual Mystery podcast, Tomorrow Is Not on The Menu.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, lands his to-die-for job as a caterer for the nation’s hottest health guru, Wendy Wattage’s Wellness Retreat on the Jersey Shore. Everything seems low pressure and low calorie until the body of the nasty food critic, Marilyn Macaroni, is found stabbed to death with one of Max’s new chef knives. Now he’s the prime suspect in a big, fat murder investigation!

Can he and his team of friends, diabetes educators, and his nosey Italian mother, Mama Rose Marie, find the killer before the police arrive? Or will he be trading his fruit suit for coveralls with stripes?

Weight loss murder never tasted so good.

Starring Mr. Divabetic, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Maryann Horst Nicolay MEd, NTDR, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage,’ Seveda Williams, Dave Jones, Catherine Schuller and Lorraine Brooks. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Special thanks to our colleague, the multi-talented Wendy Radford.

The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village.

But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge,  named Mr. Pincher almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies. Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic, our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit hoping his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.

Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford. Special thanks to the Houdeshell family and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir.

There’s a good indication that murder might be part of the recipe when Nantucket’s ten-time reigning Baking Champion’s last name is ‘Coffin’.

But resentment, greed, and Britannia’s own bad dealings turn everyone into a suspect when she’s found dead in the parking lot just before the Annual Decadents on Deck! Bake Off competition is about to kick off.

Delusional baker and amateur sleuth Mr. Divabetic is even shocked to find himself being treated as a suspect in the case by the local police after meeting her just once!

As if his life wasn’t crazy enough before, escaping a murderous mishap in New York and attempting a fresh start in Nantucket has turned into a complete and utter baking disaster, now Max, along with his friends and nosy mother, have to add tracking down a murderer to his To-Do list, as well.

Can our team hunt down the real murderer before they strike again? Will he become the next victim? Can Max ever manage to bake a cake that’s actually edible?

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast cast includes USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Coach The Cure‘s Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

 

 

 

Getting My Energy Up with High Voltage on The High Line & Little Island

This is 75!!!

America’s #1 Energy Conductor, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage’, reached another milestone looking: Fit, Fabulous, and Fierce!

The two of us spent the day together walking around New York City. While strolling on the High Line and Little Island, she mentioned,” I barely weigh a hundred pounds, but I can still lift 185 pounds on the leg press.”

Her secrets to looking good at any age are limiting the amount of added sugar in her diet, moving her body, and using the power of daily positive affirmations to turn negative self-talk into pearls of encouragement.

As we toured the new Hudson Yards and walked by the Vessel, we discussed our many collaborations to glamorize good health for girls and women at risk, affected by and living with diabetes.

Regarding added sugar, High Voltage adheres to the American Heart Association (AHA)’s guidelines of limiting added sugars to no more than 6 percent of calories each day. For most American women, that’s no more than 100 calories per day or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. It’s 150 calories per day for men, or about 9 teaspoons. The AHA recommendations focus on all added sugars, without singling out any particular types such as high-fructose corn syrup.

Many people consume more sugar than they realize. Sometimes, we may surpass our daily limit with what we put in our morning coffee.  Our bodies don’t need sugar to function properly. Added sugars contribute zero nutrients, but many added calories that can lead to extra pounds or even obesity. That can reduce heart health.

The artwork along the High Line echoed our thoughts about health and wellness.  Artist Pamela Rosenkranz’s installation Old Tree, a bright red-and-pink sculpture, matching High Voltage’s outfit, animates myriad historical archetypes wherein the tree of life connects heaven and earth. The tree’s sanguine color resembles the branching systems of human organs, blood vessels, and tissue, inviting viewers to consider the indivisible connection between human and plant life.

Since we met,  High Voltage has enormously impacted my life and health. Her nonstop energy and encouragement make you leap out of bed with a ‘can do’ attitude. Once, she even inspired me to attempt the trapeze .. and I fear heights!!!

For many years, I worked on her Energy Up! wellness program for at-risk girls in the New York School system. One of the programs I helped to create was ShockTober.

Take the pledge with Voltage and the rest of your Energy Up! peers around the world during October. Start with 5-days and add more as you can. No sugary drinks — YOU CAN DO IT!

Shocktober Pledge: I am happy I am healthy, And I choose to be For 5 whole days SUGAR FREE, I’ll kick to the curb All SSB’s, Chocolate Milk, Sports Drinks Sodas, Sweet Tea’s , Because they’re incredibly bad for me, I’ll drink more water, Not fruit juice, Move my body, Give my spirit a boost! Energy Up! WHOOOOO!!!

Last year, High Voltage participated in our Divabetic Mysteries podcast, Tomorrow Is Not On the Menu, as the health guru, Wendy Wattage.

Here’s a short synopsis of Divabetic’s 9th Annual Mystery podcast, Tomorrow’s Not On the Menu:

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, lands his to-die-for job as a caterer for the nation’s hottest health guru, Wendy Wattage’s Wellness Retreat on the Jersey Shore. Everything seems low pressure and low calorie until the body of the nasty food critic, Marilyn Macaroni, is found stabbed to death with one of Max’s new chef knives. Now he’s the prime suspect in a big, fat murder investigation!

Can he and his team of friends, diabetes educators, and his nosey Italian mother, Mama Rose Marie, find the killer before the police arrive? Or will he be trading his fruit suit for coveralls with stripes?

Weight loss murder never tasted so good.

Starring Mr. Divabetic, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Maryann Horst Nicolay MEd, NTDR, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage,’ Seveda Williams, Dave Jones, Catherine Schuller and Lorraine Brooks. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Special thanks to our colleague, the multi-talented Wendy Radford.

Music from The Pink Panther and The Return of The Pink Panther soundtracks by Henry Mancini courtesy of SONY Music.

Divabetic: A Fighter With a Centerfold Face

“Imagine a fighter with a centerfold face.” is one of singer-songwriter Miranda Lambert’s favorite lyrics. “That’s how I picture all of my friends. They’re strong — and gorgeous. They make me proud.”

Miranda might sing about the bathroom sink but if you’re using insulin therapy to manage your diabetes, do not store insulin in the bathroom. Bathrooms tend to get overheated and can be too hot for insulin. Choose a temperature-controlled closet or cabinet that is easy to access.

Miranda Lambert is one of the biggest names in the industry, but she knows she isn’t perfect. The multi-time Female Vocalist of the Year winner says not winning ‘Nashville Star’ in 2003 was the best thing that could have happened. It gave her time to mature as an artist and to write and record songs that she believed in.

“When you’re in the industry and you hear ‘platinum’ you think of platinum album,” says Miranda. “But platinum is a lot of things: its hair, it’s diamonds and platinum, it’s Bud Light Platinum, it’s the color of an Airstream.”

Platinum is a double-meaning title. First, it refers to Miranda Lambert’s hair — as she sings on the title track, “what doesn’t kill you only makes you blonder” — the second meaning refers to her fame, a topic she returns to often throughout her fifth record.

The old-time shuffle Gravity’s a Bitch is a riotous admission that there’s no denying the ravages of old age. Aging with diabetes isn’t easy but it is doable.

Sure, over time, the effects of diabetes can become much more complicated. The disease can lead to serious, even life-threatening problems from your head to your toes. But with age comes wisdom. Some aspects of your self-care that were daunting at first become automatic. Most divas with diabetes we talk to, admit that sticking with a plan is solid advice.

 

Miranda Lambert and her album Platinum are inspiring us to talk about the high cost of living with diabetes on our popular monthly podcast.

The International Diabetes Federation is leading a three-year World Diabetes Day campaign to improve access to diabetes care and highlight the need for increased action to prevent diabetes and its complications. Securing universal access to insulin for all remains a global challenge. The barriers to access and affordability are complicated. The multiple steps involved in the production, distribution, and pricing, as well as the infrastructure required to ensure the appropriate and safe use of insulin are laced with greed. Get involved in the #insulin4all campaign to unite the diabetes community to fight together for access to diabetes supplies, care, and treatment for everyone.

Guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDCES, Neva White DNP, CRNP, CDCES, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Best-Selling Author Kim BoykinMarina Tsaplina, and Mama Rose Marie.

We’re playing selected songs from Miranda Lambert’s album, Platinum courtesy of SONY MUSIC.

Divabetic Mysteries podcast: A Christmas Peril is inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of a chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

The Happy Diabetic’s Oven Roasted Salmon with Fruit Salsa Recipe

I was thrilled to be a guest on my friend, Chef Robert Lewis, The Happy Diabetic‘s Kitchen Podcast. I had the chance to reflect on my twentieth anniversary of presenting diabetes outreach diva-style.

Several years after graduating from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in 1976, Chef Robert Lewis was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes. His love of food and cooking motivated to alter his recipes to achieve diabetes wellness.

“I suspected that my days of good eating were over; yet as I worked through my ups and downs, I came to realize that the selection of foods I could and should eat was vast and included many of my favorites,” he says.  “This motivated me to attempt to create delicious, diabetic-friendly dishes that were also easy to prepare.”

As a nationally recognized author, public speaker, and spokesperson for all people affected with diabetes, he travels the country, speaking on the benefits of healthy eating not only for people affected with diabetes but also for anyone who would like to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle.

The Happy Diabetic’s Oven Roasted Salmon with Fruit Salsa Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1⁄4 Cup of Fresh Mango diced (or use canned)
  • 1⁄4 Cup of Fresh Pineapple diced (or use canned)
  • 2 Fresh Strawberries diced
  • 1 Kiwi peeled and diced
  • 1 Teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon leaf fresh cilantro chopped
  • 4-  5- 6 oz salmon filets
  • 2 Tablespoon of Splenda
  • Ground Pepper
  • Balsamic Glaze

Directions

Peel and dice the mango, strawberries, kiwi, and pineapple. Place them into a bowl. Add the lime juice and cilantro. Set aside. 

Season the salmon with cracked pepper and a dusting of Splenda. Place the fish into a non-stick oven pan lightly coated with canola oil on med heat (heat the pan first).

Place the salmon in a preheated 425-degree oven. Roast the tuna for about 10-12 minutes. The cooked fish will be firm to the touch, and the internal temperature will be about 140 degrees.

Remove from the oven and let the fish rest for 2-3 min. Place the fish on the plate. Top with fruit salsa.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 196 Fat: 4.31 g Sugar: 18.53 Fiber: 5.81 g Protein: 12.97 g 

The Happy Diabetic Kitchen Podcast: A Conversation with Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek LISTEN NOW

Are you a Picky Eater? The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic plays his food game, Serve, Taste or Trash! at Central Farm Market in Bethesda, MD.

Chef Robert Lewis, The Happy Diabetic, stars with Mr. Divabetic in Divabetic Mysteries: Gypsies, Tramps & Peas podcast. Tune in to find out if Mr. Divabetic can solve the murder of his former swim coach with the help of his nosey Italian mother and friends. Along the way to revealing the identity of the murderer, he uncovers expert tips for diabetes self-care during the Summer months.

 

 

Serve, Taste or Trash Food Game At Central Farm Markets

Serve Taste or Trash

We’re looking back on almost 20 years of Divabetic outreach.

One of my favorite memories is shooting our ‘man-in-the-street’ YouTube videos with my friend, Arthur Espino. We shot these videos with a camera (we weren’t using iPhones back then) without a microphone. I’d stop people as they walked by, and after we shot 3-4 interviews, I’d run home and edit the video.

In this video, I play the nutrition game Serve, Taste, or Trash! with the vendors and patrons at Central Farm Markets in Bethesda, MD.

This game was born out of my long-standing aversion to peas. Voicing your dislike for a particular vegetable aloud might inspire others to share different ways to enjoy it, which could ultimately change your mind about the taste. Personally, it led me to enjoy eating wasabi peas!

Fans of our popular Divabetic Mysteries podcasts know that my dislike of peas also inspired me to write and produce the mystery podcast Gypsies, Tramps & Peas.

Perhaps this video can inspire you to try another fruit or vegetable you dislike!

In the game, you’re given three choices of fruits and vegetables. You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste, and which one you’d trash.

Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw?

Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones. And the texture is crispy rather than mushy.

Special guest Kathy Gold RN, MSN, CDCES (who participated in countless Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes outreach events) from Washington, DC, helps raise awareness for diabetes in a fun and glamorous new way.

Since 2009, Central Farm Markets has provided residents with a place to buy the freshest produce, meats, dairy, seafood, and bakery goods from over 50 top-quality farmers and artisan food producers. It’s a great farm market! They were always very welcoming to our unique brand of diabetes outreach and us.

Cozy Up With Divabetic Mysteries: A Christmas Peril

The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge,  named Mr. Pincher almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies.

Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic and our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit in the hopes that his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.

Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford. Special thanks to the Houdeshell family and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir.

In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons they teach.

Divabetic Mysteries Podcast: A Christmas Peril

Divabetic’s holiday-themed Mystery podcast, A Christmas Peril, is free on demand.

The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge,  named Mr. Pincher, almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies.

A Christmas Peril

Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic, our team of amateur sleuths, and his overly protective mother set out to find the real culprit in the hopes that his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.

Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford. Special thanks to the Houdeshell family and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir.

In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons they teach.

Divabetic Mysteries Podcast: Tomorrow Is Not On The Menu

Divabetic’s 9th Annual Mystery podcast: Tomorrow Is Not On The Menu, is available on demand.  Enjoy loads of diabetes information and self-care tips wrapped up in a cozy mystery radio drama.

This year’s cozy diabetes mystery finds the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, landing his to-die-for job as a caterer for the nation’s hottest health guru, Wendy Wattage. She’s well-known for helping people get their “energy up and their weight down” by becoming aware of the amount of added sugar in their diets.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than 6 percent of calories each day. For most American women, that’s no more than 100 calories per day or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. For men, it’s 150 calories per day or about 9 teaspoons.

Many people consume more sugar than they realize. Knowing how much sugar you consume is important because our bodies don’t need sugar to function properly. Added sugars contribute zero nutrients, but enough added calories can reduce heart health.

Everything at Wendy Wattage’s Wellness Retreat seems hunky-dory until the body of the nasty food critic, Marilyn Macaroni, is found stabbed to death with one of Max’s chef knives. Mr. Divabetic quickly becomes the prime suspect in a big, fat murder investigation!

Can he and his team of friends, diabetes educators, and his nosey Italian mother, Mama Rose Marie, find the killer before the police arrive? Or will he be trading his fruit suit for coveralls with horizontal stripes?

Weight loss murder never tasted so good.

Starring Mr. Divabetic, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Maryann Horst Nicolay MEd, NTDR, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage,’ Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller and Lorraine Brooks. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Special thanks to our colleague, the multi-talented Wendy Radford.

Music from The Pink Panther and The Return of The Pink Panther soundtracks by Henry Mancini courtesy of SONY Music.

Mama Rose Marie Stars in Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast

From time to time, podcast listeners ask me who plays ‘my mother’ on Divabetic’s mystery podcasts. The talented actress playing “Mama Rose Marie” is my actual mom. It’s a blessing that she participates every year. She’s a good sport too.

Our mystery podcast storylines routinely put her in dangerous situations to rescue me. She’s escaped prison, shook her shimmy in a Coney Island burlesque show, hit glass-shattering high notes in Christmas carols like Celine Dion, and dressed up as a pirate, ninja, and snow leopard. Once, she was even knocked unconscious by a deranged scientist who impersonated her in an attempt to get me to endorse a ‘magic pill’ for curing diabetes. Thankfully, she woke up in time to kick his butt and save me from jeopardizing my reputation.
In reality, my mom has been with me every step of the way on the Divabetic journey and I couldn’t be happier. She sold the first “Divabetic” t-shirt in Columbia, SC, in 2003. She was a  National team member of our signature Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes outreach program, worked backstage on the national TV show, dLife, demonstrated How to Prada Your Pineapple on several local TV shows, judged Divabetic’s Hat Boxing Competition, beautifully decorated our healthy Halloween program, The Broomstick Bash, and much much more over the past nineteen (!) years of outreach.

I love my Mom. Thank you, thank you! You have given my mom and me so many wonderful and magical memories. Working side-by-side with her to present diabetes outreach diva-style has brought me joy, enriched my life, and made me a better person.
I hope you will tune in to this year’s mystery podcast to find out what trouble my mom gets in to save me! I wish everyone could have a mom like mine; if you don’t, let us team up with you so we can stay happy and healthy together.