Derek, who has been nominated for two Teen Choice Awards and currently stars on the ABC Family show Baby Daddy, hopes to be a role model, especially to kids, as he continues spreading the word about how new technology has helped him thrive with diabetes.
Diagnosed with the disease at just three years old, Derek is a well-known advocate for patients living with Type 1 Diabetes. As a child, diabetes made it a lot harder for both him and his sister, who also has T1D, to do the things they loved, like play sports and spend time with friends.
The number of Americans diagnosed with diabetes is growing. In 2012, 9.3% of the population or 29.1 million Americans had diabetes. It is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. The costs are staggering, $245 billion in 2012 alone.
People with diabetes who take insulin must monitor their blood glucose levels frequently. Uncontrolled glucose can cause health complications and even death. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is considered the most significant breakthrough in diabetes management in the past 40 years.
Through the collaboration with Dexcom, Theler, who uses CGM as an essential part of managing his diabetes, hopes to spread awareness of the new technology and provide encouragement for those impacted by diabetes to take control of the disease and continue to do the things they enjoy.
“Whether I’m shooting a film in South Africa or on the set in LA, being an actor means having a career that is intensely physical and constantly changing, and it’s nearly impossible to keep a regular routine,” said Theler. “My CGM has allowed me to navigate the highs and lows so I can work without interruption. It also gives my mom peace of mind, because she can use an app to easily check on me when I’m traveling and filming. CGM has made me feel safe and has transformed my life and career in invaluable ways.”
Derek discusses:
- His personal journey from diagnosis to management
- How he monitors his blood sugar levels
- His inspirational message
- Where to go for more information
About Derek Theler: Standing 6’6”, Derek Theler is a successful film and television actor, living with Type 1 Diabetes. Theler grew up playing sports and graduated from Colorado State with a degree in pre-medicine. He was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, grew up in Black Forest, Colorado, and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Theler stars as the handsome older brother on the hit Freeform series, BABY DADDY, which centers around a young man who decides to raise a baby girl that was left on his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend. Baby Daddy is going into its sixth season and was one of Derek’s first auditions, after moving to Hollywood.
Theler recently starred in the ION television romantic comedy, HOW SARAH GOT HER WINGS and the Xfinitiy original film, SHARK KILLER. He recently appeared in the highly popular YouTube spoof series, PRINCESS RAP BATTLE as The Huntsman. Other credits include the leading role in IGN Entertainment’s action-thriller digital series “Project: S.E.R.A.” on its YouTube channel, START. Theler also recurred on the fourth season of “90210” as AnnaLynne McCord’s love interest. He has appeared in commercials for Nike (directed by David Fincher), Coke Zero (directed by Ruben Fleischer), State Farm, Kayak and Arby’s. Additionally, Theler was a recurring comedian in sketches for “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.” Derek has been nominated for two Teen Choice Awards.
Interview provided by Dexcom
