31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Seventeen

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 17, we’re spotlighting Diabetes Late Inspired by Sara Bareilles from January 2014. “I came out as a gay man on this episode of Diabetes Late Nite,” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. “A few months before this podcast, I was the target of homophobic remarks after I presented a diabetes outreach program at a prominent African American Methodist Church in Philadelphia. I was crushed by those words. I’ve never wanted my sexuality to be the reason for someone to turn away from our diva brand of diabetes outreach but I felt that I had to come out to the Divabetic community for my own personal wellness. I am not ashamed of who I am nor will I be shamed because of my sexuality. I have never regretted my decision.”

Singer, Songwriter Sara Bareilles achieved mainstream success in 2007 with the hit song, Love Song, which brought her into the number one spot on the Billboard Pop 100 chart. She has sold over one million records and over four million singles in the Untied States alone and has been nominated for a Grammy Award five times. Sara Braeilles‘s latest album, The Blessed Unrest is nominated for Album of the Year Grammy Award. Her song, Brave is nominated for Best Solo Performance Grammy Award. Throughout the podcast, we will be playing clips of Sara Bareilles songs courtesy of SONY MUSIC.

The podcast also includes a Diabetes Hot Topics discussion, a Diabetes Numerology Puzzle, Prize Giveaways and a Mother Your Diabetes commentary.

Guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Neva White MSN, CRNP, CDE, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Poet Lorraine Brooks, SONY Music Executive Jeff James, Mama Rose Marie and Mike Lawson from San Francisco, CA

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

07/16/202007/16/2020

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Sixteen

On Day 16, we’re spotlighting Diabetes Roundtable Inspired by the Pointer Sisters from December 2013.

“This podcast was a game changer for Divabetic,” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek.”It was the first time we featured music from various SONY music artists on our broadcast.”

The Pointer Sisters began their formal vocal training in their father’s church, The Church of God in West Oakland, California. June, Anita and Ruth Pointer achieved its greatest commercial success in 1983 with their biggest-selling album ever with Break Out. The Break Out album features the hits, Jump (For My Love), Automatic, Baby Come And Get It, I Need You, Neutron Dance and I’m So Excited.

The Pointer Sisters won several Grammy Awards, American Music Awards and have been inducted onto the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic is ‘so excited’ to host this hourlong whirlwind of wellness inspired by the Pointer Sisters with superstar guests including music journalist Christian John Wikane, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Kathy Gold RN, CDE, Neva White MSN, CRNP, CDE, Evetta Petty, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Laura Laria and Lindsay from Baton Rouge, LA living with diabetes. Show highlights include Mr. Divabetic’s ‘Favorite Things’ list of great gift ideas to keep you happy and healthy.

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

07/15/202007/15/2020

31 Days Of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Fifteen

On Day 15, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Diabetes Roundtable Inspired by Ricochet from November 2013.

New York Times Best-Selling Author Cherry Adair’s brand new T-FLAC novella, ‘RICOCHET’ features a heroine living with type 1 diabetes.

“This podcast will always have a soft place in my heart,” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetc’ Szadek. “Cherry told me that I inspired her to create a smart, sexy heroine living with type 1 diabetes, Hannah Endicott, for her T-FLAC series”

Synopsis: Hannah Endicott’s only purpose for traveling half a world away to Ecuador is to retrieve what her feckless best friend appropriated to invest in yet another bad business venture. Unwillingly drawn into meeting his new associates, she overhears a nefarious plot and instantly goes from irritated to terrified.The right person, in the wrong place, at the worst possible time. . . .

Cherry Adair’s books are just the right mixture of romance and suspense and, whether you are reading one for the first time or the tenth, they will keep you hooked from the beginning. The popular T-FLAC series features the trials and tribulations of an elite antiterrorist task force. In Ricochet, one of the key member of T-FLAC is living with diabetes.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic is joined by the members of the Divabetic Club – Philadelphia and healthcare professionals from the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Special guests include: Cherry Adair, Neva White DNP, CRNP, CDE, Emily Hiriak RD, CDE, David Madison, Pam Harrod-Smith, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Lorraine Brooks, Michelle Foster from the American Diabetes Association in Philadelphia, PA, Mama Rose Marie and special guest, Sharon, who is living with type 2 diabetes.

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org

07/11/2020

31 Days Of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Eleven

On Day 11, we’re spotlighting Diabetes Roundtable Inspired by Esther Williams from July 2013.

From “Bathing Beauty” in 1944 to “Jupiter’s Darling” in 1955, Esther Williams swam in Technicolor pools, lakes, lagoons and oceans, cresting onto the list of Top 10 box-office stars in 1949 and 1950.

In a bathing suit, she was a special kind of all-American girl: tall, lithe, breathtakingly attractive and unpretentious. From the beginning, Ms. Williams wrote in her autobiography, “I sensed the water was my natural element.” She estimated that she had swum over 1,250 miles for the cameras.

Esther Williams became one of the most famous swimmers in history without ever participating in an Olympic Games, because she found opportunities that were disguised in many obstacles that she confronted. She spoke of movie stardom as her “consolation prize,” won instead of the Olympic gold medal for which she had yearned.

Swimming is like life with opportunities frequently disguised. When you become disappointed with your present plight, consider how Esther Williams’ disappointment from not participating in the 1940 Olympics led her to opportunities she could have never imagined.

“This podcast was really a game changer for us because of Lorraine Brooks’s poem,” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. “Initially when I asked Lorraine to write a poem about ‘the beach’, she declined. She had an uneasy feeling that I might not like her poem because it wasn’t ‘upbeat’ or ‘happy’ enough to fit in with our typical podcast format. I assured her that I wanted her to write whatever she felt inside her heart. Her ‘Beauty & Beach’ poem is probably the most popular poem she has shared on our podcast. Her words not only captured listeners’ hearts but they also re-shaped our podcast’s format to reflect a more authentic view of diabetes; the good and the bad along with everything in between.

I hope you enjoy Poet Lorraine Brooks’s poem “Beauty & The Beach” from our Diabetes Roundtable podcast inspired by Esther Williams originally broadcast in July 2013.

Beauty and the Beach by Poet Lorraine Brooks

I’m not Esther Williams.

I’m not even close.

My body in bathing suits

Feels clumsy and gross.

I look at the swimmers

And look at the pool,

And suddenly feel

Like a a fat ugly fool.

READ FULL POEM

Esther Williams’ life, legacy and love of swimming inspires Divabetic’s Roundtable podcast from July 2013. The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic talks about the ‘Best Of Summer’ featuring the best in summer reads, swimsuits and diabetes self-care advice. Special Guests include: Author Brenda Novak, Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, Fitness Expert Tiffany Savion, Kathy Gold, RN, CDE, Neva White CRNP, CDE and Leslie living with type 1 diabetes.

Divabetic’s monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org