Luther Vandross' mother, Mary Ida Vandross, becomes spokesperson for 'Diabetes Aware' campaign

Mary Ida Vandross, mother of the late superstar Luther Vandross, says she can finally listen to her son's music without her heart breaking.

"I'm doing a little bit better," she computes JET. "I can listen to it now when friends and my family globule by. But I can't listen to his music by means of myself. I like someone other to listen and talk as the music plays. Because we are thus close, I hear every little whole in my son's music and my heart breaks."

Luther Vandross' fans continue to couple with his music since his death just above a year ago (JET, July 25 2005)

The previously unreleased air Shine is in heavy rotation at radio stations across the geographical division It's included on the greatest hits compilation CD The Ultimate Luther Vandross, station for release this week (August 22) The CD features all of Luther's chart-topping hits, including Dance With My Father, Here and Now, I'd Rather, Give Me The Reason, not at any time Too Much and A House Is Not A Home

She appreciates the be fond of from her son's fans and is comforted through calls from his celebrity friends, including Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle, Cissy Houston, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson. "They have not forgotten him, and they have not forgotten me"

Warwick told JET: "I miss him terribly. on the other hand I feel he is always with me because they are constantly playing his records. And that's wonderful"

Mr Vandross notes, "His fans and friends are keeping the delight in for him alive. He has left a piece of himself with you in his music," she take an account ofs his fans. "He loved his fans with a sincere be fond of and always tried to do a clean, classy present to view all the time. He not ever reneged on that promise."

Luther Vandross battled diabetes and high life-current pressure and suffered a life-threatening thump in 2003. He died of a heart attack.

Mr Vandross is encouraging families to fight diabetes as spokesperson for the Novo Nordisk's "Diabetes Aware" campaign. She's also supporting the organization, Divabetic at (divabetic.org).

She points on the outside that a recent Novo Nordisk Diabetes Aware Generational overlook found that adults ages 18-40 who are at risk or living with mark 2 (adult onset) diabetes are lagging slightly behind their parents' and grandparents' generations when it draw nears to making behavioral changes associated with healthier lifestyles.

"It's known that 3 million tribe are walking around with diabetes and don't level know it," says Mrs. Vandross. "They can be helped; there's a way to superintendence diabetes with diet, exercise and medication."

She says, "I want family to listen and actually hear what I am saying. You realize what I am going from one side I have lost three children and single grandchild to diabetes. I have also missing my husband and mother to diabetes-related illnesses. (Daughter Ann died of complications from asthma). I am a dreary person. I had four loving children, now I have no children. You don't know in what way empty my life is sometimes. No single knows what it feels like. I don't want anyone to do harm to like I am hurting and be solitary like I am lonely. move and be checked for diabetes. Do it for your lov individuals do it for yourself."

She reliances that people hear and understand the necessity of her message. "To those of you who regard with affection Luther, please don't cause his mother to cry out knowing you could have gone and gotten help for diabetes. He would want you to take care of your health and not convenient his same fate."

She says that she's committed to getting the word without about diabetes awareness. "If anyone, anywhere earns the message about the danger of letting diabetes make progress unattended or if anyone goe to gain checked for diabetes after reading this--then, as the christian religion song goes, 'My living will not be in vain.'"

COPYRIGHT 2006 Johnson Publishing Co

COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group