Dr. Dre – Divabetic

“I’m a type 2 diabetic who lost his vision, ” says André “Doctor Dré” Brown, who guests on Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast.

Diabetic eye disease, caused by diabetes, is a leading cause of blindness and vision loss. Because of the high risk for eye disease, all people with type 2 diabetes should receive an annual dilated eye exam.

Doctor Dré developed Type 2 diabetes in 2007. Since that time, he has suffered many health setbacks, including an amputated toe, multiple leg injuries, and blindness. Far from sullen, though, the hip-hop pioneer remains optimistic while trying to stay diligent to a healthy lifestyle routine that reduces the severity of some of his ailments.

Doctor Dré has been a vital part of hip-hop culture and a crucial catalyst for its global popularity since its inception. A former DJ for Beastie Boys and co-founder of 1980s rap group Original Concept, Doctor Dré co-hosted (alongside Ed Lover and Fab 5 Freddy) Yo! MTV Raps, the landmark program that introduced a generation of hip-hop fans to their favorite rappers and the culture.

Regardless of his multiple diabetes health-related challenges, his attitude remains upbeat and inspiring.

“I’ve been going through a whole different resurgence in my life,” Dre said. “I stopped at one point, and now I’m doing this. Through the blessings of the late great Dick Gregory, I’ve worked through holistic doctors to change what goes in my body.”

**Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute Podcast**

We’re celebrating the musical legacy of Luther Vandross and raising awareness for diabetes health-related complications (such as vision loss) on Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast.

Guests include Andre “Doctor Dre” Brown, Nat Adderley Jr., Dr. Khoshnevis, Danny Clay, and Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE.

Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from Luther Vandross’s album, The Night I Fell In Love courtesy of SONY Music.

Please join us for Divabetic’s free Baking Party with Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’ on Thursday, September 23, 2021, 7-8 PM. Stacey will be sharing tips for how to cut back on the sugar in recipes, using sugar substitutes and alternative flours, and cutting back on the carbs without losing any flavor, and demonstrating one of her most popular Sugar-Free baking recipes.

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Divabetic® (divabetic.org) is a national nonprofit diabetes outreach organization committed to changing attitudes in people at risk, affected by and living with diabetes. We strive to encourage prevention, early action, and above all, education. Check out our free monthly podcasts (available on iTunes and BlogTalkRadio) and our free Zoom outreach programs.

Celebrated hip-hop-oriented entertainer and educator, Andre “Doctor Dre” Brown has recently lost his vision from mismanagement of type 2 diabetes.

“My stubbornness put me where I’m at. Now my energy is going to change that,” Doctor Dre told the NYTimes. “We got young people, grown people, old, all having this. We can prevent this. We can cure this. I have an idea how to do it.”

He spoke to WABC about complications stemming from his struggle with type 2 diabetes.

“I had my retinas reattached, so I didn’t go totally blind from the diabetes. In the reattachment, I have scar tissue behind my eyes, so when that kind of fluctuates, my vision comes back,” he said.

Long-term mismanaged diabetes can lead to high blood sugar levels that damage small blood vessels over time. This damage can lead to problems with a part of the eye called the retina. This can create blurred vision. In a person with diabetes, fluid can move into and out of the eye due to high blood sugar levels.

Dre has been fighting type 2 diabetes for years, which has caused him to also lose a toe, according to ABC.

“I have a foundation called the Doctor Dré V.I.C (Visually Impaired Can) Foundation.

From 1989 to 1995, he co-hosted “Yo! MTV Raps” with Ed Lover, the tv show that did more than any other to make rap music and hip-hop culture global phenomena.

Diabetes-related retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in American adults and it affects over 1 in 4 of those living with diabetes, while 4% have severe cases of retinopathy. Diabetes-related macular edema is a swelling that can occur with retinopathy.

November has been declared by Prevent Blindness as Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month to educate the public on the effects of diabetes on vision, risk factors and treatment options. Prevent Blindness offers a variety of free resources dedicated to the education of diabetic eye disease at preventblindness.org/diabetes.

Tag: Dr. Dre

Andre “Doctor Dre” Brown Guests On Divabetic’s Annual Luther Vandross Tribute Podcast

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Doctor Dre’s Loss of Vision Linked to Type 2 Diabetes