Bret Michaels is a diabetic

Bret Michaels, the lead singer of the rock band Poison, is a type 1 diabetic. This is also called early onset or juvenile diabetes, because of when he was diagnosed at age 6. He is now a spokesperson and was selected as the face of diabetes by the American Diabetes Association. He has a public service announcement, and even incorporated his diabetes into his VH1 reality show "Rock of Love" where he tested potential matches by having the ladies practice injecting insulin into an orange!
His face as the face of diabetes is a good choice. It shows how mainstream diabetes really is... and that it is a disease that you can live with for a long time if you take precautions such as diet, exercise, and monitoring blood glucose levels very closely. Bret says he is used to using blood glucose monitors and it is part of his rock star touring lifestyle. He still uses insulin shots instead of the pump, but he says that is for "cosmetic reasons." Many diabetics use a pump that eliminates the need for insulin syringes and injections; that is his choice. He truly shows that diabetes has many faces... any many choices in managing it.