Run DMC’s Reverend Run Raises Awareness For Diabetes

Run D.M.C. front man Reverend Run and his wife Justine Simmons are teaming up with pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk to help raise awareness for diabetes. The rap pioneer says he was motivated get involved with their Ask.Screen.Know campaign after learning that World Diabetes Day falls on his own birthday.

Rev Run says he was actually afraid to get checked for the disease, but decided to do so out of respect for his family. Since then he’s been telling people to get tested “for the ones you love,” which he even told a crowd at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Knowing others are also probably afraid to go their doctors, another thing Rev often tells people is to “Do it afraid” because the fear likely won’t go away. While neither Rev nor Justine have the disease, it has affected both their families. Apart from her father and uncles having the disease, Justine says she lost a younger cousin due to diabetes complications.

For more information about the Ask.Screen.Know campaign, check out AskScreenKnow.com.