We often hear about people with diabetes, but often often do you get screened for diabetes yourself? Hip hop legend Rev Run and his wife Justine Simmons partnered up with Ask.Screen. Know. to spread awareness about the importance of getting screened for diabetes. A screening could save your life. Here’s what they had to say.
BDO: What inspired you guys to partner with the AskScreenKnow campaign?
Rev Run: It was actually [started with] my manager Michael Lehman. We were having a discussion one day talking about health and he said his dad had diabetes and he passed away. And I said, ‘Wow, mine did too.’ We talked about it for a little while and he said he knew some people over at Novo Nordisk and they have a website, AskScreenKnow.com, so we went down there. This was five years ago and I hit it off with them really well. With everything I do on social media, this is something I want to talk about more because everyone knows about my tweets, and the stuff I talked about on Run’s House and the wisdom. I started leaning the wisdom more toward health and I thought it would be the perfect fit.
It’s helping the people around me, but it’s also helping me because I had to find out my risk for diabetes and I went and got screened and immediately after the meeting I found out that I didn’t have diabetes and I’ve been screening myself every year. Thank God I don’t have diabetes, but I am at risk. The website, AskScreenKnow.com, will tell you the different risk factors. I’m over 45—risk factor. I’m African American—double risk factor. So, with all of these risk factors, I’m very happy to be involved with Novo Nordisk because it keeps me in check and I’m speaking from my heart.
A lot of people I know go to the doctor every year and they tell me they were screened. And I ask, “Are you sure?” And they say, “I got the works Rev. I go every year and get a physical.” And I say, “Are you sure you got screened for diabetes?” I get on their nerves, but after a while when someone keeps saying that to you, you casually ask your doctor, “Did I get screened for diabetes?” and the doctor says, “No, you didn’t.” Then they’ll call me back and apologize, and say, “You know what. I didn’t get screened, but I’m fine. And I can see what you’re doing for people by letting them know that getting a physical is not enough.” Sometimes you have to ask specifically.
Justine: Because they won’t do it. We found out more than 30 million Americans are living with diabetes and 1 of 4 don’t even know it. That’s why we’re really trying to get the message out about AskScreenKnow.com. Take the free assessment and from there if you feel like you’re at risk, go to your doctor from there.
