He has not been very public about it, but he has had type 2 diabetes for a number of years. Our inquiries to locate an appropriate celebrity with an affinity to this issue resulted in his making the personal decision to more broadly go public and to get actively involved. This brings a new face to the issue that has not previously been identified with it - a plus for our efforts and an unexpected gift to diabetes awareness.
James Avery
Although he is best remembered for his long-running role as Phillip Banks, the father figure to Will Smith on "Fresh Prince of Bel Air", he has also had regular roles on "The Closer" and last season's Lifetime series "Sherri." He is also going to be one of the featured robot voices in the new "Transformers" movie currently in production.
