Off The Record
Tom Hank’s silent disease we’ve never suspected
Some celebrities have stood the test of time and remained at the top of Hollywood list without much fuss over the years, only the good word out. One of those guys is “Mr. Nice Guy” Tom Hanks.
On screen… well, you be the judge of that! But off screen he’s one of the nicest guys in Hollywood, with a long-standing feud with Keanu Reeves for the fist place!
But did you know that Tom has been battling with “silent” disease for many years? Yeah, me neither!
I know it’s hard to believe but Tom is now 66 years old! To me he’s been here forever.
Over the years Tom not only made himself a legend in Hollywood, but he also made a “nice guy” label all around the globe. He’s also frequently performing acts of kindness toward his fans and those he meets away from the glitz and glamor of Hollywood.
He’s mostly know for the stunning act in Forrest Gump and Philadelphia back in 1994 and 1995. Let’s not forget Saving Private Ryan and Cast Away.
But his real life is not always rainbows and sunshines.
One of the toughest times was when Rita Wilson (his wife) was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.
Thankfully the doctors discovered it on time and she was able to cope it with treatment. Hanks was next to her every step of the way.
It wasn’t the first time Tom’s family had cancer. His ex-wife Samantha died at 50 after battling with bone cancer.
Tom Hanks disease
Fortunately, Tom doesn’t have cancer, but suffers from a condition for many years…
Frequently named as the “silent killer”, it had limited Tom’s career forcing him to turn down specific roles. He’s been battling with it as early as the 90s, but had no idea that he had it back then.
After substantial examinations and tests, Tom made it public in 2013 on the Late Show with David Letterman.
He exposed that he suffered from diabetes mellitus, a disorder in which the body does not produce enough or normally respond to insulin, causing blood sugar levels to skyrocket.
Diabetes 2 is a common disease that could turn deadly if not treated accordingly.
Over 37 million Americans suffer from diabetes (about 1 in 10) and approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes. But Tom was shocked when he was diagnosed.
”I went to the doctor, and he said, ‘You know those high blood sugar numbers you’ve been dealing with since you were 36? Well, you’ve graduated! You’ve got type 2 diabetes, young man,’” Hanks recalled.
Tom was actually warned that he had pre-diabetes earlier in his life, but he ignored the signs. When he was finally diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, he felt like an idiot.
”I thought I could avoid it by removing the buns from my cheeseburgers,” he told Radio Times.
”Well, it takes a little bit more than that.”
But a lot has happened since that interview with David Letterman in 2013. In Cannes at the red carpet promoting his Elvis movie, he looked slick, to say the least! Many of his fans noticed how good he looked.
The 66-year-old seems to be maintaining a healthy lifestyle and keeps control of his sugar levels.
”I try to get, every single day, one hour of activity. That can be anything from a treadmill or a walk or a hike with a dog, but it has to be one hour every single day,” he told the podcast ‘Sooo Many White Guys’.
If left untreated, type 2 diabetes can cause severe health problems like heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke. We hope Tom doesn’t ignore the alarming signs like the first time. Judging by his looks, he certainly doesn’t!
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God bless you, Tom Hanks!
