At age 12, she was the voice of Nala in Disney’s “The Lion King” movie. Since then, she has appeared in TV shows, off-Broadway plays and commercials. But Niketa Calame-Harris found that developing a chronic illness – in her case, Type 1 diabetes – came without a script.
“When I was diagnosed with diabetes at age 19, all I knew about diabetes was from ‘Steel Magnolias,’ where Julia Roberts was dying because she had a baby and she was Type 1,” said Niketa.
Today, Niketa lends her voice to improving education and advocacy for people with diabetes. As a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association’s Los Angeles-area chapter, she talks to schools, senior communities, and other groups to explain how to spot symptoms, “easy do’s and don’ts” to follow if diagnosed, and healthy meal plans.
