Even though her birthday is technically in May, Gladys Knight celebrated her landmark 75th birthday in October with a special party in Los Angeles.
The seven-time Grammy winner was joined at Vibrato Grill Jazz by celebrity pals including David Foster and his new wife Katherine McPhee, LaToya Jackson and Terry Crews.
Knight, who was accompanied by her husband William McDowell, was all smiles as celebrities talked and shared about how much they adored the singer.
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Even though Gladys doesn't have diabetes, she fights for others who have it because it took the life of her mother, Elizabeth Knight, who died of complications from the disease in 1997. Knight is as busy as ever gracing the entertainment world with her exceptional voice, yet she never misses an opportunity to voice the message of early detection and treatment of diabetes.
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Like nearly 5.5 million other adults in the U.S., Elizabeth had diabetic retinopathy, a sight-threatening complication of diabetes that can cause blindness. "I remember my mother being at one of my performances. She came backstage and shed a tear saying, 'Gladys, I can't see you anymore on stage, baby'," said Knight. Elizabeth eventually became legally blind in both eyes due to the disease, as do approximately 25,000 Americans every year.
According to Prevent Blindness Ohio, the longer one has diabetes, the greater the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.
"My mom went to the eye doctor every year and was on top of her health as far as nutrition and exercise," said Knight. Prevent Blindness Ohio recommends an annual dilated eye exam for people with diabetes. While diabetic retinopathy is not always avoidable, management of the disease and treatment options can help reduce the risk of sight loss. Like many others with diabetic retinopathy, Elizabeth had laser treatment called...
... photocoagulation, a procedure that helps control the growth of leaking blood vessels in the retina.
"Despite everything, my mom had great faith and resilience. She was an independent and strong willed woman," said Knight. "She was all about family. She accepted curves life threw her and battled through them. I think being educated on the different conditions she had gave her a better understanding of what might lie ahead. It also gave her the tools to live with diabetes for more than 40 years."
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Elizabeth is not the only person close to Knight that has been hit by diabetes. In addition, Knight's cousin Edward Patten, one of the Pips, developed diabetes. This is not surprising, as according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Diabetes Association, close to 11.1 million Americans have diagnosed diabetes, while an additional 5.9 million have undiagnosed diabetes. Diabetes is the fifth deadliest disease in Ohio and in the United States. In fact, 6.4% of Ohio's population has this disease. Knight's brother David was also diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the mid-80's and had to give up performing with the band this past January due to complications of the disease.
READ: How You Can Reverse Diabetes
Gladys shares her final words of wisdom: "Do something about diabetes ... Know more, do more!" Knight feels nearly as passionate about spreading that message as she does about the incredible singing career her mom helped her launch some 54 years ago.
