We have equated a cancer diagnosis to 'death,' but we look at diabetes as 'something that you get when you get older.' But look at diabetes - it's the leading cause of limb amputation, heart disease, kidney failure. Many people don't equate diabetes with these other destructive things. I didn't equate it to those until I started reading about it.

The quote — “We have equated a cancer diagnosis to 'death,' but we look at diabetes as 'something that you get when you get older.' But look at diabetes – it's the leading cause of limb amputation, heart disease, kidney failure. Many people don't equate diabetes with these other destructive things. I didn't equate it to those until I started reading about it” — comes from Eric Adams, the current Mayor of New York City and a passionate advocate for public health and plant-based nutrition. In this quote, Adams challenges the common misperceptions about diabetes, emphasizing how society often underestimates its severity.

He contrasts the emotional weight society places on a cancer diagnosis — often linked to fear and urgency — with the casual attitude many hold toward diabetes, especially Type 2 diabetes, which is frequently seen as a normal part of aging. Adams urges people to recognize that diabetes is not benign; it's a chronic disease that can lead to serious complications, including amputation, heart disease, and kidney failure. His words aim to shift the narrative around diabetes from passive acceptance to proactive awareness.

Adams’s insight is deeply personal. After being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes himself, he experienced temporary vision loss and nerve damage — a wake-up call that led him to overhaul his lifestyle and adopt a plant-based diet, eventually reversing his condition. His journey motivated him to educate others, and his quote reflects the transformational power of information, as he admits, “I didn’t equate it to those until I started reading about it.”

The origin of this quote can be traced to his health advocacy efforts and interviews, particularly around the time of his book Healthy at Last, in which he documents his health transformation and promotes lifestyle changes to prevent chronic illness. Through this statement, Adams seeks to reframe how we think about diabetes, urging individuals and communities to take it as seriously as other life-threatening conditions — not only through treatment, but through prevention and education.